Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week (Nov. 17-21) offers a crucial opportunity to look beyond assumptions and confront the reality faced by those experiencing homelessness. One of the most urgent and often overlooked issues is the heightened risk of targeted violence within the unhoused community.

While it’s a common misconception that those who face housing and food insecurity don’t have gainful employment, this is far from the truth. A 2021 study from the University of Chicago estimates that 53% of people living in homeless shelters and 40% of unsheltered people were employed, either full or part-time, in the year that people were observed homeless between 2011-2018.

College students are also not exempt from experiencing food and housing insecurity. Results from a 2024 survey on food and housing insecurity – specifically among NC State students – reported that 30% of students reported food insecurity within the previous 30 days at the time of the survey. Results from the same survey reported that 11.3% of students reported housing insecurity within the previous 30 days at the time of the survey and 14% of students had experienced homelessness at some point in the prior year.

Research shows a striking disparity in experiences of violence between housed and unhoused populations. While only a small percentage of the general population reports violent victimizations, rates are dramatically higher among those experiencing homelessness. Estimates indicate that between 14% and 21% of unhoused individuals have been victims or violence, illustrating how exposure to harm increases when people lack stable shelter.

Violence is not only something that many unhoused individuals experience directly. A third of unhoused people have witnessed physical attacks on other unhoused individuals. This creates environments where hypervigilance and fear become necessary tools for survival.

The connection between domestic violence and homelessness further underscores this crisis. More than a third of all survivors become homeless at some point in their lives. For women, the intersection is even more severe: over 90% of unhoused women have experienced severe physical or sexual abuse in their lifetimes. In many cases, fleeing violence precipitates homelessness, which then exposes survivors to new forms of harm and violence.

These patterns reveal a cycle where violence and housing insecurity reinforce one another, making it clear that safe housing is essential to both physical security and long-term recovery.

This week serves as a reminder that homelessness is not a personal failure, but rather a systemic issue intimately tied to access to resources, support networks, economic stability, healthcare, mental health services and safety. Understanding the role violence plays in this landscape helps us better advocate for compassionate policies and meaningful support.

Resources for the NC State Community

NC State and its partners offer a range of resources for those experiencing food insecurity and housing instability. These resources stand ready to assist without judgment and without unnecessary barriers.

Pack Essentials
Offers support to NC State students and employees through a variety of basic needs programs, including the Feed the Pack food pantry, which is free and no-questions-asked. Pack Essentials also connects individuals with broader community resources.

Community and Partner Resources:

• Interact Emergency Shelter – Support for individuals escaping domestic or interpersonal violence.
• More in My Basket – Assistance with determining eligibility for food and nutrition benefits.
• North Carolina ePass – A portal for applying to state programs such as Medicaid and food assistance.
• Wake Network of Care – A directory of health, housing, crisis, and social services across Wake County.
• Women’s Center of Wake County – Support services for women facing homelessness, crisis or trauma.

These resources serve as a reminder that no one needs to navigate crises alone. Support exists, and seeking help is an act of strength.

Addressing housing and food insecurity requires more than temporary solutions. It requires an understanding of the interconnected issues that shape a person’s experience, including the real and pervasive threat of violence. During Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week, we are called to learn and take action to ensure that every member of our community has not just food and a place to stay, but a safe and stable place to call home.

Sources and Additional Research

• America, Feeding. “Hunger & Poverty in the United States | Map the Meal Gap.” Feedingamerica.org, 2022, map.feedingamerica.org/county/2022/overall?. Accessed 31 Oct. 2025. 
• Ellison, Brenna, et al. “Viewpoint: Food Insecurity among College Students: A Case for Consistent and Comparable Measurement.” Food Policy, vol. 101, Jan. 2021, p. 102031, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodpol.2021.102031. 
• “Five Facts about Domestic and Sexual Violence and Homelessness.” Americanbar.org, 2022, www.americanbar.org/groups/domestic_violence/Initiatives/five-for-five/five-facts-homelessness/. 
• Homelessness and Food & Housing Insecurity among NC State Students Part 1: Third Wave Data Report Part 2: Recommendations. 2024.
• Meinbresse, Molly, et al. “Exploring the Experiences of Violence among Individuals Who Are Homeless Using a Consumer-Led Approach.” Violence and Victims, vol. 29, no. 1, 2014, pp. 122–136, nhchc.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/vv-29-1_ptr_a8_122-136.pdf, https://doi.org/10.1891/0886-6708.vv-d-12-00069. 
• Meyer, Bruce, et al. “Learning about Homelessness Using Linked Survey and Administrative Data.” BFI, 23 June 2021, bfi.uchicago.edu/insight/research-summary/learning-about-homelessness-using-linked-survey-and-administrative-data/. 

This project was made possible by funding from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Center for Prevention Programs and Partnerships, opportunity number DHS-24-TTP-132-00-01.