UMass Dartmouth students played hardball against homelessness and hunger during their Week of Action.

On Friday, Nov. 20, members of the Massachusetts Public Interest Research Group organized a dodgeball game to raise food, clothes and awareness for the cause.

Nearly 50 people packed into the gymnasium to enjoy an evening of pelting their friends with balls for a good cause. Each participant donated a can of food or a warm article of clothing. The four teams were Squid Phi Omega, MASSPIRG, Takeover, and the Fluffy Princesses, who dominated most of the night.

“Dodgeball is fun for college students, but this week is Hunger and Homelessness Week… and we wanted to have an event where college students could be aware of what’s happening and even though it’s a depressing subject, they could have some fun while learning and contributing,” said Secretary Tianna Edwards, bioengineering and pre-med major.

MASSPIRG spent the week combating the problems of homelessness and hunger in America in honor of National Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week which runs from Nov. 14 to Nov. 22.

On Nov. 12, students donated their time to the Salvation Army’s Feed the Homeless event where they helped set up the event, prepared meals and served the people. Additionally, they donated time, food and money at Mercy Meals and More in New Bedford.

On Nov. 18, volunteers solicited non-perishable food donations for the on-campus food pantry, which serves to help alleviate on-campus hunger.

English and literature major Nataki Degraffenreid, 21, was driven to move up from being a MASSPIRG volunteer to being the campaign coordinator to set an example for others. She urged people to actively combat hunger and homelessness by donating their time at shelters and outreach programs and by donating food, clothes and other items.

“This is a serious cause in the United States,” Degraffenreid said.

According to the National Low Income Housing Coalition, there is no state where working for minimum wage at a 40-hour job could pay rent without paying more than 30 percent of their income.

The growing population of homeless people has affected Dartmouth, which does not have any homeless shelters in town. Instead, homeless people are shuttled away from their hometowns and brought to the Dartmouth Motor Inn through the state’s homeless shelter program. However, the program has been a growing source of criticism.

“If the town doesn’t have a homeless shelter itself… it should try [to] outsource its resources to New Bedford. They have a huge population of homeless people and need the help,” Edwards said.

Degraffenreid was very touched by the turnout for the dodgeball game and the people who went out of their way to help with the other events.

“I felt blessed, and they were a blessing to others by getting up extra early in the morning to be dedicated to helping people,” Degraffenreid said of the 13 UMass volunteers who helped at Mercy Meals and More.

Additionally, volunteers at the Stop and Shop food drive managed to raise two entire carts full of food.

“I was so excited people came to support,” Degraffenreid said.