“If you are not part of the solution, then you are part of the problem” is the theme for this year’s Homeless Awareness Week, which kicks off with “Open Doors” Monday, April 7.

Open Doors is a day of hospitality for the homeless. The Center for Leadership and Community Service opens its doors to the local St. Louis community shelters and their clients, and welcomes them to come onto campus and participate. There are many agencies at the event to assist those in need with employment, legal information, ID services and much more.

The items collected from the clothing and toiletry drive will be distributed on Monday at the Simon Recreation Center. Open Doors is one of the largest one-day outreach program for the homeless in the city.

Monday night, students can partake in a Yee-Haw concert performed by Michael J. Otepka and Stoked Mobiusat 9 p.m. in the Griesedieck Hall lobby. Participants can receive educational material on homelessness in the United States, especially in St. Louis.

A panel will speak at 8 p.m. on Tuesday in Ritter Hall, Room 320 on what homelessness is and what it is like to be homeless.

On Wednesday, students have the opportunity to visit and volunteer at a local homeless shelter. Those interested in attending should meet behind Griesedieck at 2:30 p.m.

Students are asked to sleep out in the Quad on Thursday evening. The sleep out begins at 10 p.m. and will end at 6 a.m. Students are encouraged to sleep out in the Quad, in hopes of experiencing what life is like without permanent shelter.

The week concludes with the Stations of the Cross on Friday at 3 p.m. in front of DuBourg Hall.

Homeless Awareness Week T-shirts are available for a donation of $10.

“Homeless Awareness Week is meant to be educational,” said Janelle Densberger, the event’s coordinator.

The ultimate goal of the week is to make the campus more aware of the problem of homelessness and what students can do about it to help reduce the current situation, Densberger said.