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Abstract

This paper reports the experiences and outcomes of a winter homeless shelter hosted on the campus of Virginia Wesleyan College, a small liberal arts college located in Norfolk, Virginia. This unique project ties together academics, applied sociology, and community service to provide one week of shelter and the evening meal for homeless individuals as part of a rotating winter emergency shelter schedule. More than 200 members of the campus and local community have volunteered in the shelter over the past two years of the project. Pre- and post-shelter evaluations incorporating both qualitative and quantitative measures assess the impact of participation on volunteer attitudes toward homelessness. Findings show more positive attitudes toward homelessness after participation in the shelter. The shelter project, additional outcomes, and future directions are also discussed.

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An On-Campus Homeless Shelter: A Case Study in Applied Sociology and Service Learning

Abstract

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References