The Center for Civic Engagement (CCE) will help put on a series of events run by student organizations and the Greek community for the 11th annual Poverty Awareness Week, today through Friday.

The various community service projects will benefit local organizations, including Trinity Moscow Food Pantry, Palouse Habitat for Humanity, and United Way.

“There’s a lot of issues that people do not think about when it comes to poverty,” said Erin McIlraith, CCE marketing and communication coordinator. “A good example is how expensive it is to house seniors in assisted living facilities. That’s the idea behind these types of projects; to raise money to help solve the little problems that some people do not consider for bigger issues.”

From 2008 to 2012, 32.3 percent of Whitman County’s population was living below the poverty line, compared to 12.9 percent for all of Washington State, according to U.S. Census Bureau reports.

Whitman County’s median household income of $34,169 was also well below the state’s average of $59,374 during the same period of time, according to the same reports.

In an effort to make the process easier for student groups looking to help raise awareness, the CCE will offer mentors to help with the logistics for projects, including who to contact for different situations, where groups can table and advertise, and other ways to get their campaigns out there, McIlraith said.

As part of Greek Week of Service, the Interfraternity and Panhellenic Councils have partnered with the Center for Civic Engagement’s Poverty Awareness Week to serve more effectively.

Kyle Geiger, IFC’s Director of Service, said that involvement from the Greek community correlates with their Greek Week of Service. Greek Week of Service is a time where the Greek community as works to serve their community, local nonprofits, and national charities.

The campaign started in 2003 as the National Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week, which the CCE changed to Poverty Awareness Week this year.

“Poverty covers more bases than just hunger and homeless,” McIlraith said. “That and the old name was far too long.”

One of the first CCE hosted events, the Cougs Give Thanx: Food and Supplies Drive, will take place today from 3 — 5 p.m.in Regent’s Hall, and later tonight from 6 — 8:30 p.m.in the Smith Center for Undergraduate Education room 316.

Students will help sort and box canned food and help deliver them to the Council on Aging & Human Services in Colfax and the WSU and University of Idaho food banks. ​

A complete list of the events for Poverty Awareness Week can be found at cce.wsu.edu/awareness-weeks/paw/events/.

Reporting by Lance Lijewski and Jonathan Carrigan