[media-credit name=’Derek Montgomery’ align=’alignnone’ width=’648′][/media-credit]As part of their Hunger and Homelessness Awareness week, the Wisconsin Student Public Interest Group conducted “Food Swipe 2004” Monday in all University of Wisconsin cafeterias.

WISPIRG and UW cafeterias teamed up to enable students to donate money toward the WISPIRG campaign to fight hunger and homelessness. At cafeteria cash registers, students could swipe their student IDs and donate any amount of money from their UW food account in one-dollar increments toward the campaign.

Each cash register was specially programmed to make donations specifically for this event. The money will go directly to WISPIRG’s campaign.

UW Sophomore Kellie Sanders, vice chair of WISPIRG and chair of the Hunger and Homelessness Committee, said WISPIRG decided to get involved with this campaign in Madison because it is such an urgent and local issue.

“There are too many people suffering from homelessness and hunger, not only in Madison, but in the U.S. and around the world, that we can help,” Sanders said. “There are 35 million people suffering from hunger in the U.S. alone.”

WISPIRG hopes to raise $5,000, which will be donated to the Salvation Army Overflow Shelter, a place for homeless people to stay when other shelters are full.

Sanders said the choice to donate to the Overflow Shelter was an obvious one for WISPIRG. She mentioned the funding cutbacks from a lot of Salvation Army locations and programs and the need to give more funding for the Overflow Shelter.

“Funding has been taken from the Overflow Shelter to fund social workers at other Salvation Army locations,” Sanders said. “We thought that by funding the Overflow Shelter we can help save lives.”

Several UW students said they donated to the campaign because they believe in giving back to the city.

UW freshman Joanna Stradinger donated money at Gordon Commons’ Pop’s Club.

“I think it’s really important to do what I can for the community,” Stradinger said.

Sanders said students should participate in WISPIRG programs, such as the New Voters’ Project and Hunger and Homelessness Awareness week, if they are interested in contributing to their community.

Each year WISPIRG conducts several campaigns addressing the environment and other public interest issues they feel is of interest.

“This is a great way for students to contribute a couple extra dollars, get involved and take responsibility for the community around us,” Sanders said.