Students build their own shanties with cardboard boxes and packing tape.
Shanty Town Creates A Community
Published: November 7, 2014
By: Alyssa Mowrer
On October 8, Parkside's Fall Fest Committee and Campus Activities and Engagement teamed up to plan a Shanty Town experience for students. All of the students build their own shanties out of cardboard boxes and packing tape and then spent the night out in the cold. The event was created to promote the awareness of homelessness in the community by giving students the opportunity to experience what it's like to be homeless for a night.
The beginning of the event featured guest speakers Fran Hansen, The Executive Director of the Shalom Center, Chris Zanowski, UW-Parkside Director of Student Support Services, and Alexa Morgan, President of the Habitat for Humanity Organization at Parkside. Almost 100 students participated in building the shanties, and 15 brave students came to the 7 a.m. free breakfast after spending the whole night in their boxes.