Three panelists attempted to dispel misconceptions about homelessness for University of Wisconsin students Thursday night, stressing the importance of volunteering to combat the problem.

The Wisconsin Union Directorate Contemporary Issues Committee presented a panel on the faces of homelessness, featuring speakers from the Chicago Coalition for the Homeless and a professor from the UW School of Social Work.

CCH speakers Melody Brynne DeGagne and Helen Smith discussed their experiences both with the organization and as former homeless individuals. Also on the panel was Mona Wasow, UW social work professor.

“Homelessness is not about individuals having problems,” DeGagne said, it is a “systemic” problem.

She added CCH was designed to combat the social components of homelessness through education, advocacy and political action. DeGagne also spoke of the social stigma homelessness carries and the scorn she was subjected to while living in shelters.

Smith said she was homeless because a felony record prevented her from getting a job or housing. She also said CCH has allowed her to speak to politicians and the media, and sharing her story helped other homeless individuals.

Wasow said “people tend to think of homelessness as a personal failing,” but it actually results from many factors, including lack of affordable housing, a living wage, care for the mentally ill and treatment for sexual abuse and domestic violence victims.

UW students can make an impact on the problem by volunteering and showing compassion toward homeless individuals, Wasow said.

Several audience members raised concerns about the perceived danger of interacting with the homeless and asked panel members how to combat this belief.

DeGagne said telling the stories of homeless individuals helps inform the public, adding “the more they begin to see the real face of homelessness … you begin to realize these are not drunks, these are not druggies. These are real people.”

She also said a minority of homeless individuals can be dangerous, and students should exercise safety and caution in their interactions.

Many UW and Madison social service programs need volunteers, and panel members said becoming involved with these organizations was a great way to aid the homeless.

Nick Burton, WUD member and coordinator for the event, stressed the impact students can have on homelessness. He said students can get involved in many ways — from letter writing to working with student and community organizations.

He added the Contemporary Issues Committee is always looking for students to bring new ideas to WUD.

Spreading information about the homeless is crucial to finding solutions, said Mike Granger, a contributor to the Street Pulse newspaper. Street Pulse is a publication sold on the streets by homeless vendors to obtain a steady income.

“Most of the people you talk to are very misinformed about the causes of homelessness,” Granger said.

He recommended volunteer efforts as a way to address the problem and to ensure basic human needs are met.

Justin Gerstner, from Habitat for Humanity, who attended the event, said it was important to dispel stereotypes of low-income and homeless people, adding the panel was a great way to tell individual stories and raise awareness.