This week, Sunday, November 16th – Saturday, November 22nd is Hunger & Homelessness Awareness Week. Each year, since 1975, the National Coalition for the Homeless and the National Student Campaign Against Hunger and Homelessness sponsor a week of awareness to draw attention to the problem of poverty and rally support for local anti-poverty agencies.

This year, more than 700 colleges, high schools, and community groups across the country will come together during this week to raise awareness about the pressing issues of hunger and homelessness.

In the United States alone, the statistics are staggering:

• 37.2 million Americans live below the poverty line

• 580,000 Americans are homeless on a typical night

• 44 million Americans are at risk of suffering from hunger

• 1 in 6 children in the U.S. live in poverty

Since 1997, The Coffee Oasis has sought to address the issues of hunger and homelessness head on by providing a continuum of services for young people aged 13-25.

These services include the only two low-barrier youth shelters in Kitsap and Pierce counties, drop-in centers, crisis navigation, case management, job training classes and internships, outreach, and resources such as laundry services, showers, meals, hygiene products, and clothing. 

Hunger is a hardship that many of our youth at The Coffee Oasis face.

• In Kitsap County alone, based on data from Kitsap Public Health in 2023, an estimated 17.6% of children in Kitsap County experienced food insecurity, which has increased significantly since 2021.
• Additionally, during the 2024-2025 school year, 42.5% of students in Kitsap County qualified for free or reduced-price meals.

At every Coffee Oasis drop-in center, youth have access to hot meals and snacks donated by generous meal providers and donors. You can reach out to your local Coffee Oasis drop-in center today to provide a meal or donate snack items.

As we enter into the holiday season, you can serve meals, help with setup or cleanup at upcoming youth events, and make youth feel welcome.

How To Get Involved

This week, for Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week, we encourage you to follow along with our podcast series and share with your community what you’re learning. Don’t forget to tag @thecoffeeoasis on social media!

You can also support youth experiencing homelessness by purchasing coffee including our seasonal specials and limited edition mugs for the holiday season!

Other community resources:

• Basket Brigade providing Thanksgiving dinners
• Anchor Church in Tacoma providing Thanksgiving dinners and meals to those requesting assistance
• Gig Harbor Fish Food Bank
• Food Backpacks 4 Kids
• Emergency Food Network list of over 75 food pantries in Pierce County
• Fishline in Poulsbo
• Central Kitsap Food Bank
• Bremerton Foodline

The next 2 episodes in this series can be found on Spotify later in the week.

• Youth Housing Instability in Kitsap and Pierce County
• Identifying Youth in Crisis