Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week 2026: Nov. 15-21, Ways to Help

Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week 2026 runs November 15-21, according to the National Coalition for the Homeless and the National Student Campaign Against Hunger and Homelessness, which sponsor it. The organizers’ theme is “Volunteer. Donate. Educate.” Below are the dates, a day-by-day plan with our suggestions and the latest federal figures on homelessness and food security.

When is Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week 2026?

The organizers give the dates as “November 15-21, 2026.” By our calendar check that is Sunday, Nov. 15 through Saturday, Nov. 21. The organizers say the week is held “during the week prior to Thanksgiving,” and Thanksgiving 2026 is Thursday, Nov. 26. See the November 2026 important dates and the Thanksgiving 2026 planner for the rest of the month.

The organizers say the week was first held at Villanova University in 1975. The organizers’ site links an event finder at hhweek.org/events and a registration page at hhweek.org/register. Their resources page offers an “H&H Week 2026 Organizing Toolkit” for campuses and communities, plus a printable handout and a poster for 2026. We did not check local events, so times and places come from that finder.

Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week plan for each day

The organizers’ three words are volunteer, donate and educate. The table below is our own suggestion for spreading them over the week, not an official schedule.

Day	Volunteer	Donate	Educate
Sun., Nov. 15	Find an event on the organizers’ finder	Check what food or supplies a local group asks for	Read the figures below
Mon., Nov. 16	Ask a local group about shifts	Sort pantry food you will not use	Share one fact with a friend
Tue., Nov. 17	Sign up for a shift	Set aside a money gift	Read the federal housing report
Wed., Nov. 18	Invite a friend or coworker	Gather coats, socks or hygiene items	Read the federal food report
Thu., Nov. 19	Confirm your shift time	Pack the items	Post what you learned
Fri., Nov. 20	Prepare what you need	Drop off food or supplies	Talk with family about a plan
Sat., Nov. 21	Volunteer or join an event	Give if you did not earlier	Note what you will do after the week

What do federal figures say about homelessness and hunger?

Two federal reports give the latest national counts. Both come from government agencies, and each figure carries its year.

Measure	Figure	Source and date
People homeless on a single night, January 2025	745,652	U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), 2025 Annual Homeless Assessment Report (AHAR), May 29, 2026
People living unsheltered on a single night, January 2025	266,320	HUD, May 29, 2026
Change in the homeless count since 2024	3% decrease	HUD, May 29, 2026
Households food insecure at some time in 2024	13.7 percent	U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Economic Research Service (ERS), released Dec. 30, 2025
Households with very low food security in 2024	5.4 percent	ERS, released Dec. 30, 2025

HUD’s release said “745,652 individuals were homeless on a single night in January 2025” and that “266,320 individuals were living unsheltered.” The USDA report says 13.7 percent of households were food insecure at least some time during 2024, and “5.4 percent of households experienced very low food security.”

Free printable for Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week

Our one-page sheet has the Nov. 15-21 dates, four sourced facts, a seven-day tick-box plan and space for your own note. Print it and keep it on the fridge.