News > January 24, 2008

By Elliot Engstrom | News editor

Students Working Against Poverty, a group made up of university students who are dedicated to combating poverty, are putting their concerns into action by sponsoring “kNOw Poverty Week.” The week will feature a series of events Jan. 28 – Feb. 1, and it’s designed to raise public awareness of poverty and give students and community members a way to help in the battle against poverty.

Emily White, co-president of SWAP, has had a great deal of involvement in the planning of the week’s events ever since she arrived on campus for her senior year in the fall.

“We’ve been planning for a long time,” said White.

“We started meeting the first week of last semester. It’s a pretty small little group, so it’s a good 10-20 hour commitment each week.”

Angel Hattery, associate professor of sociology, will lead a panel discussion of regional poverty at 7 p.m. Jan. 28 at the Annenberg Forum. Admission is free, and the public are welcome.

“Angel Hattery does a lot of work with poverty in the south, and we are happy to be having her lead the panel discussion,” said White.

Next on Jan. 29, the organization will host “deFeet Poverty,” a 5k run on the cross-country trails near the Miller Center. The entry fee is $15 cash or $17 Deacon Dollars, and it includes an event T-shirt.

Proceeds will be donated to Winston-Salem’s Crisis Control Ministry.

“kNOw Poverty,” the week’s signature event, will be held Jan. 30 on Manchester Plaza. SWAP members, along with representatives from other groups, will work throughout the day to package over 10,000 relief meals.

The bag meals each contain six servings, each of which is 220 calories.

The event is being held in cooperation with the international relief agency Stop Hunger Now.

Groups may join by donating $100 for food and materials.

“To be able to participate we have to be able to raise over $2,000, and as of right now we have 17 groups across campus working with us,” White said.

“To work they give a $100 donation, and that’s how we pay for this.”

Angel Hattery, associate professor of sociology, will lead a panel discussion of regional poverty at 7 p.m. Jan. 28 at the Annenberg Forum.

Admission is free, and the public are welcome.

“Angel Hattery does a lot of work with poverty in the south, and we are happy to be having her lead the panel discussion,” said White.

“Micro-credit and the Future of Poverty,” a PBS documentary, is being shown at 8 p.m. on Jan. 31 in the Annenberg Forum.

The “Third Annual stArt Student Art Auction” will be the final event of the week, held Feb. 1 at 7 p.m. at the Downtown District Association’s Community Center.

Art by university students and professors will be up for auction to benefit Crisis Control Ministry.

Music will be provided by a string ensemble, and food and wine will be served.

“It’s during the very first gallery hop of the year,” White said of the event.

“A group of Wake students are doing a string quartet for us featuring music like The Beatles.

Food is also being donated for the event, and it is totally open to the public.”

“Getting the alcohol serving permit for the art auction took a long time,” White said as an example of the amount of effort the group has put into these events.

“We have 150 volunteers on our sheets,” White said.

“One of my friends, Drew Crofton, started the group, and after he graduated he pretty much left it to us, just as we are going to leave it to others.”

SWAP may be a relatively small group, but they put a great deal of time and effort into their endeavors, and are always willing to accept outside help.

“We have access to so many resources at Wake,” said White.

“Being able to use those to help people outside of our own circumstance.”

SWAP will host a “media blitz” at 1p.m. Jan. 27 on the Mag Quad and all are welcome to attend.

Anyone who is interested in participating in any of the events can contact Emily White at whiter4@wfu.edu.