Annual hunger cleanup day scheduled

More than 100 UW–Madison students will be pitching in at Madison-area social services agencies on Saturday, April 9, as part of the 21st Annual Hunger Cleanup.

The event begins at 10 a.m. on Library Mall, with volunteers dispersing to local sites by 11 a.m. Volunteers work at sites from 11:30 a.m. until early afternoon.

Among the sites participating is the Community Action Coalition, 171 N. Stoughton Road; the Interfaith Hospitality Network, 112 University Ave.; Porchlight, 306 N. Brooks; area St. Vincent DePaul Society sites; and the YWCA, 101 E. Mifflin.

With more than 100 campuses participating, the cleanup is one of the largest student-run community-service fundraisers in the country. Coordinated locally by the Wisconsin Public Interest Research Group (WiSPIRG), students roll up their sleeves to plant tomato plants, play with kids, clean, and do light construction work at local hunger and homelessness relief agencies.

To ensure these agencies have the funds needed to continue this work, and to find permanent solutions to these problems, volunteers ask family, friends, community members and businesses to sponsor their efforts.

All of the money raised will be donated to a local shelter (either the Salvation Army Overflow center or Porchlight, Inc.), to NSCAHH (the National Student Campaign Against Hunger and Homelessness) and internationally to tsunami victims or charities helping refugees in Sudan.

For more information about Saturday’s event, contact Melissa Chan, (608) 264-0729, chan2@wisc.edu.