Peace Village Shantytown Weathers the Storms

A rainy Saturday night did not dampen the determination of 150 people spending the night on Campus Green. Their goal was to take action and raise awareness about hunger.

Although some took refuge in UC’s Armory Fieldhouse after their cardboard boxes collapsed in the rain, Peace Village organizer Steve Sunderland says more than half remained on Campus Green in their cardboard box shantytown, braving the rainy night.

Sunderland, a UC professor in the Division of Educational Studies and Leadership in the College of Education, Criminal Justice, and Human Services, told the arrivals that this Peace Village conference was the first of its kind to bring together young people and address how to end hunger in the city as well as the world. Among the crowds of young faces were students representing the University of Cincinnati, Wright State University and Wilmington College.

Jonathon Price, student president of the Peace Village and UC sophomore voice performance major, told attendees that hunger and homelessness do not discriminate. “We are here because we feel we can begin to treat the disease of hunger.”

John Young, director of the FreeStore Foodbank in Over-the-Rhine, underlined the urgency of the hunger issues in the Cincinnati community. “This year, we’re feeding 160,000 people,” he said. “Five years ago, it was about 120,000. We are so thrilled to have you take part in the solution,” he said.

Each team of seven people who registered for the event paid a $25 registration fee, plus brought a case of food to donate to the FreeStore Foodbank.