Volunteers work together to transfer food from shopping baskets to shopping bags to be distributed out for the MSU Food Bank Oct. 17, 2018 at Olin Heath Center.
—Editor's note: The Student Basic Needs Awareness Symposium has been postponed to a later date, announced in an email March 12. A date has not been determined yet.
Donations are being accepted for the first annual Student Basic Needs Awareness Symposium, to be held in Erickson Hall on March 12.
The symposium is hosted by the Michigan State school of social work and Kids Turning Corners, a nonprofit organization focused on helping young people break the cycle of poverty.
Donations will provide scholarships to four nominated MSU undergraduate students. In addition to money, items like deodorant or toothpaste are accepted, said social work major Alexis Johnson, who helped organize the event.
Johnson said she hopes the symposium spreads awareness about the challenges students struggling to afford basic things like housing are facing.
"A lot of people go through it and not a lot of people think about it or know about it," Johnson said.
Speakers at the symposium will include State Senators Stephanie Chang and Curtis Hertel Jr. and State Rep. Julie Brixie.
Johnson said she's hopeful that exposing lawmakers to the problem could lead to policy change.
Michigan State staff will also speak at the symposium. Kimberly Steed-Page, a coordinator with MSU's Student Parent Resource Center, MSU Student Food Bank Director Nicole Edmonds and MSU FAME's program coordinator Andrea Martineau will share their thoughts.
First generation students from impoverished inner-city areas are especially at risk of not being able to afford basic needs. While financial aid helps, it often isn't enough when moving to a wealthier area like East Lansing, Johnson said.
"It is very hard, especially coming to some place like East Lansing," she said. "A good amount of people come from middle class to upper-middle class to even upper class."
Johnson said perspectives will be present from people who struggled to make ends meet while attending school.
"Some people that are in the symposium have faced issues (like) sleeping in their cars in (undergraduate) and in graduate school," Johnson said.
Johnson said she hopes this symposium is the first of many.
"I'm just hoping to get the ball rolling and get the word out there that this actually happens and affects a lot of people," she said.
While spreading awareness is important, Johnson is happy to be helping those in need.
"Everyone needs help at some point, and if we could just help one person, I think that would be great," Johnson said.
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