Yale Hunger and Homelessness Action Project (YHHAP)

Mission

The Yale Hunger and Homelessness Action Project is a student-run not-for-profit organization that works on behalf of New Haven?s homeless and near-homeless communities. Through direct service, fundraising, education, and advocacy, we aim to alleviate the immediate effects of homelessness while working to address its root causes and pursue long-term solutions.

Student Leaders

Jaeyee Jung – Co-Coordinator/Co-President

Activities

Yale Community Kitchen November-December Direct Service One of YHHAP’s most popular projects, Yale Community Kitchen (YCK) is Yale?s student-run soup kitchen on campus. We serve food donated by Yale Dining on Friday on Saturday evenings in the United Parish House across from TD, the satellite location of the Downtown Evening Soup Kitchen (DESK). Kitchen to Kitchen Direct Service The main purpose of Kitchen to Kitchen (K2K) is to reduce the amount of waste generated in Yale Dining Halls by delivering extra food from the dining halls to the Downtown Evening Soup Kitchen (called DESK). Elm City Echo Direct Service Students go to Columbus House to speak with city residents, and work on YHHAP Elm City Echo project. Elm City Echo Direct Service The Elm City Echo aims to promote awareness of homelessness and displacement by giving contributors a community-oriented platform to amplify their voices and experiences. Columbus House Volunteering Direct Service YHHAP volunteers will help serve dinner at the Columbus House Big Sibs Direct Service Through this weekly program, YHHAP volunteers visit local community centers and shelters to offer homework help and, more importantly, to provide an environment where kids can be kids again. Community Healthcare Van Direct Service In collaboration with the Community Healthcare Van (CHCV), we are one of YHHAP’s newest projects intersecting social and healthcare. Our volunteers serve at the CHCV office each day of the week, helping to package medical kits/supplies and traveling on the healthcare van for distribution to New Haven’s neighborhoods. With a focus on harm reduction, we also partner with adjacent programs such as Sex Workers and Allies Network. H&H Week Volunteering Day Direct Service Volunteering at CCA (community partner) ? Thanksgiving packing YSE/YHHAP Winter Bag Packing Direct Service YSE and YHHAP volunteers will make bags with food, water, and other supplies. YSE/YHHAP Winter Bag Packing Volunteer Event Direct Service Packing winter bags (socks, snacks, water) to distribute SNAP Enrollment Assistance Direct Service YHHAP volunteers will work with community organizations around New Haven, such as libraries, churches, and soup kitchens, to provide application assistance to New Haveners who are eligible and seeking to enroll in the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (also known as food stamps). Yale Community Kitchen Direct Service Rescuing food from Yale dining halls and donating to community partners Dwight Community Fridge Direct Service The Dwight Community Fridge is a community fridge operated by the YMCA and volunteer Yale students. Located at 50 Howe St, it is housed within the New Haven YMCA Youth Center. It is designed as a ?take what you need, leave what you can? program. Community fridges act as a grassroots response to the food insecurity crisis. They are especially critical in neighborhoods where traditional forms of food assistance are difficult to access. For instance, individuals without cars are often unable to reach food bank locations. The fridges, sometimes called “freedges”, are a type of mutual aid project that enables food to be shared within a community. The goal is to reduce food insecurity by providing free, direct access to nutritious food made possible through community partnerships, local food stores and restaurants, along with Yale University students and farms. On any given day, the fridge is full with items including fresh produce, prepared meals, bottles of water, milk, frozen foods, bakery items, eggs, bread, grab and go snacks, cereal and more! Food is provided by community members, restaurants, local chefs, urban farmers, grocers and food pantries. Clothing Closet Direct Service Clothing Closet Project aims to provide new and gently used clothing to those who need it most by collecting donations for seasonal clothing from the Yale community and taking them to Loaves and Fishes of New Haven. Common Closet Direct Service Common Closet works on collecting clothing donations from the Yale community and pop-up thrifting events on cross campus, generally low commitment. Our work provides affordable shopping option and profits go to non-profit orgs in New Haven. Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Direct Service The Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) is a nation-wide program founded by the IRS in 1971. Through VITA, IRS-certified volunteers provide free tax services for low-to-moderate income families. VITA helps community members who (1) generally make $55,000 or less, (2) have disabilities, or (3) speak limited English. In this way, VITA offers accurate filing services while saving clients tax preparation fees. Yale students operate one of the most active and dedicated VITA centers in the New Haven region. Led by students from all across the university, Yale VITA expands access to vital tax services, leaving a large, quantifiable impact for those in need. In the Spring, the Yale VITA site operates six days a week out of the Ives Main Branch of the New Haven Free Public Library system. Our site welcomes non-English speakers, and encourages taxpayers to come in all throughout tax season. Common Closet Direct Service Common Closet is a thrift and donations project that provides an affordable clothing market to Yale students, reduces clothing waste on campus, and combats fast fashion. Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) Direct Service The Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) is a nation-wide program founded by the IRS in 1971. Through VITA, IRS-certified volunteers provide free tax services for low-to-moderate income families. VITA helps community members who (1) generally make $55,000 or less, (2) have disabilities, or (3) speak limited English. In this way, VITA offers accurate filing services while saving clients tax preparation fees. Yale students operate one of the most active and dedicated VITA centers in the New Haven region. Led by students from all across the university, Yale VITA expands access to vital tax services, leaving a large, quantifiable impact for those in need. In the Spring, the Yale VITA site operates six days a week out of the Ives Main Branch of the New Haven Free Public Library system. Our site welcomes non-English speakers, and encourages taxpayers to come in all throughout tax season. Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) Direct Service We offer free tax preparation services for low-income and underprivileged New Haven Residents. Dwight Community Fridge Direct Service The YMCA community fridge provides food and other everyday items to the community in the Dwight neighborhood. The fridge operates on a donation basis with local partners. Yale Community Kitchen Direct Service Yale Community Kitchen (YCK) is Yale?s student-run soup kitchen on campus. We serve food donated by Yale Dining on Friday on Saturday evenings at Christ Church, which also houses Community Soup Kitchen. During the summer, we serve meals out of the same location on Saturday evenings only. We partner with other local organizations like Downtown Evening Soup Kitchen (DESK) to ensure every New Haven resident can have access to a nutritious meal 7 days a week. Community Health Care Van Direct Service Volunteering with the community healthcare van: preparing supply kits and working service desk Dwight Community Fridge Direct Service The Dwight Community Fridge is a community fridge operated by the YMCA and volunteer Yale students. Located at 50 Howe St, it is housed within the New Haven YMCA Youth Center. It is designed as a ?take what you need, leave what you can? program. Community fridges act as a grassroots response to the food insecurity crisis. They are especially critical in neighborhoods where traditional forms of food assistance are difficult to access. For instance, individuals without cars are often unable to reach food bank locations. The fridges, sometimes called “freedges”, are a type of mutual aid project that enables food to be shared within a community. The goal is to reduce food insecurity by providing free, direct access to nutritious food made possible through community partnerships, local food stores and restaurants, along with Yale University students and farms. On any given day, the fridge is full with items including fresh produce, prepared meals, bottles of water, milk, frozen foods, bakery items, eggs, bread, grab and go snacks, cereal and more! Food is provided by community members, restaurants, local chefs, urban farmers, grocers and food pantries. Yale Community Kitchen August-October Direct Service ne of YHHAP’s most popular projects, Yale Community Kitchen (YCK) is Yale?s student-run soup kitchen on campus. We serve food donated by Yale Dining on Friday on Saturday evenings in the United Parish House across from TD, the satellite location of the Downtown Evening Soup Kitchen (DESK). Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Direct Service We provide free tax services for low income New Haven residents Kitchen 2 Kitchen Volunteering Direct Service We deliver excess food from Yale dining halls to soup kitchens in New Haven twice a week, on Thursdays and Sundays. Elm City Echo Direct Service The Elm City Echo aims to promote awareness of homelessness and displacement by giving contributors a community-oriented platform to amplify their voices and experiences. The Echo empowers individuals through the process of sharing while centralizing creators? voices. Since 2011, student volunteers have worked with individuals experiencing poverty and homelessness to record and publish the prose, poetry, and artwork. Each collaboration begins with volunteers visiting one of our community partners (Columbus House or Fellowship Place) to facilitate the storytelling process. Once a semester, we publish the pieces in a literary magazine that is freely distributed around New Haven. No Closed Doors Direct Service No Closed Doors plays a crucial role in the New Haven area, serving as one of the only places where un- and underemployed residents can walk in and receive case-management help on a regular basis. Season of Giving Drive Direct Service The Season of Giving Drive is an opportunity for Yale students to connect with students at a local K-8 school, Augusta Lewis Troup School. Through this project, Yale students can pick out holiday gifts for students, catering to their likes and interests via a form that students fill out in advance. Through this project, 300+ students will receive gifts for the holidays, creating a community connection and bond between Yale and New Haven Public Schools! Community Health Care Van Direct Service Volunteering with the community healthcare van: preparing supply kits and working service desk Yale Community Kitchen Direct Service Rescuing food from Yale dining halls and donating to community partners Kitchen 2 Kitchen Direct Service K2K volunteers repackage food from Yale dining halls and distribute them to the New Haven community. Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Direct Service We offer free tax preparation services for low-income and underprivileged New Haven Residents. Dwight Community Fridge Direct Service The Dwight Community Fridge is a community fridge operated by the YMCA and volunteer Yale students. Located at 50 Howe St, it is housed within the New Haven YMCA Youth Center. It is designed as a ?take what you need, leave what you can? program. Community fridges act as a grassroots response to the food insecurity crisis. They are especially critical in neighborhoods where traditional forms of food assistance are difficult to access. For instance, individuals without cars are often unable to reach food bank locations. The fridges, sometimes called “freedges”, are a type of mutual aid project that enables food to be shared within a community. The goal is to reduce food insecurity by providing free, direct access to nutritious food made possible through community partnerships, local food stores and restaurants, along with Yale University students and farms. On any given day, the fridge is full with items including fresh produce, prepared meals, bottles of water, milk, frozen foods, bakery items, eggs, bread, grab and go snacks, cereal and more! Food is provided by community members, restaurants, local chefs, urban farmers, grocers and food pantries. Pancakes with YHHAP Advocacy or Activism This event is held every semester to recruit volunteers for YHHAP projects, inform community members about ways to get involved with YHHAP, all while enjoying pancakes with each other. YHHAP Advocacy Team Advocacy or Activism The YHHAP Advocacy Team is YHHAP’s only initiative that doesn’t focus on direct service and volunteering. Instead, it does work organizing and advocating for changes in housing and food policy on a local, state, and national level, as well as creating educational materials to raise awareness around issues relevant to YHHAP work. YHHAP Advocacy Team Advocacy or Activism The YHHAP Advocacy team is specifically in charge of undertaking research, policy, and community engagement projects regarding food and housing insecurity in New Haven, the history of Yale and Yale students and their relationship with New Haven, and analyzing both New Haven and Yale based policies. YHHAP Fast Fundraising he Yale Hunger and Homeless Action Project Fast is YHHAP?s largest fundraiser of the year, and the largest student-run fundraiser on Yale?s campus. It works to raise awareness and funds for food and housing insecurity organizations in New Haven. Once every semester, over 50% of the Yale student body donates the monetary value of their Yale Dining meal swipes for the day of the YHHAP Fast ahead of time. YHHAP Fast Fundraising The Yale Hunger and Homeless Action Project Fast is YHHAP?s largest fundraiser of the year, and the largest student-run fundraiser on Yale?s campus. Once every semester, over 50% of the Yale student body donates their Yale Dining meal swipes for the day of the YHHAP Fast ahead of time. During the Fast, students forego their usual dining hall meal and eat out, often at one of the locally owned New Haven businesses that sponsor the Fast through in-kind food donations, lump sums, or student discounts during the Fast. The monetary equivalent of these unused swipes in addition to donations from the Yale and New Haven communities usually total to over $10,000 raised each semester. A successful Fast is critical for a successful YHHAP, and the fundraiser depends entirely on the support and participation of the broader Yale and New Haven community. YHHAP donates 100% of the funds raised to organizations fighting for food and housing justice in New Haven. In Fall 2024, proceeds from the YHHAP Fast supported Witnesses to Hunger, Amistad House, the Food In Service to the Homebound Thanksgiving Drive, and Sunrise Cafe. YHHAP Fast Fundraising Organizing biannual/annual fundraiser where students can donate value of meal swipes and proceeds go towards orgs combatting hunger and homelessness in New Haven Common Closet Fundraising Collecting donated clothes from Yale and reselling, proceeds to Loaves and Fishes YHHAP Fast Fundraising Organizing biannual/annual fundraiser where students can donate value of meal swipes and proceeds go towards orgs combatting hunger and homeleessness in New Haven Thanksgiving Drive Fundraising Collecting money and food cans for CCA and FISH Common Closet Social/Cultural/Team-Building Common Closet is a sustainable fashion initiative that collects clothing donations from students and sells them through on-campus pop-up sales in an effort to reduce fast fashion consumption. All proceeds are donated to Loaves and Fishes through YHHAP. Students also have the option to consign their clothes, which means that they make back a percentage of what their clothes make. Volunteers participate in weekly working hours to sort and tag clothes. Grabbing VITA meeting materials (VITA training, VITA certification party, Taxes and Tapioca event) Social/Cultural/Team-Building VITA holds training sessions in the fall, certification events throughout the semester, and volunteering begins in the spring. We will need to use Dwight Hall cars to acquire materials for various events.

How Others Get Involved

Volunteers can sign up for the mailing list (https://yhhap.org/newsletter) or join the GroupMe (https://groupme.com/join_group/112414076/8btmNYS0).