Students give homeless a break
Janie Tankard ’12 saw the homeless every day on her way to and from class at Harvard College. She wanted to help, but wondered if the spare change many asked for was the most effective way to lend a hand. When Winter Break arrived, Tankard decided to use the time to make a difference. “As a volunteer at the Harvard Square Homeless Shelter (HSHS), I feel like I’m doing something with a very tangible impact,” she says. “I’m obviously not solving the problem of homelessness, but I am doing a small part to show compassion and to help provide immediate relief to the guests.” Tankard is one of more than two dozen Harvard undergraduates who returned to campus early to do service at the only student-run homeless shelter in the country. She and her fellow HSHS volunteers spent at least 25 hours per week during January providing food and short-term lodging for...