In recognition of November as National Homelessness Awareness Month, members of professor Charlie Rinehart’s Persuasion/Marketing in Health class partnered together with The Baldwin Center to create the first-annual Fight the Night Event on Saturday.

Beginning at 7 p.m., volunteers, students and community members gathered in Parking Lot 2, equipped with extra blankets and dressed in layers, to combat the night’s weather and gain perspective regarding the challenges homeless individuals experience each day.

“My students have been working on this project all year,” Rinehart said. “When I first introduced this project after working with Elizabeth Longley of the Baldwin Center at the beginning of the semester, they immediately began developing the event. Their goal was to create a brand that would bring much-needed attention to the struggles which homeless individuals and homeless veterans in the area experience-especially in the winter months.”

As the night progressed, speakers from The Baldwin Center, OU William Beaumont School of Medicine, School of Health Sciences and President Hynd addressed the issues of homelessness, housing first initiatives and the importance of social programs in America.

“I want to thank Professor Reinhart’s students for working so hard to make this event a success,” President Hynd said. “In 2013 there were approximately 600,000 homeless individuals in America, and about ¼ of those were young adults. It’s a disturbing statistic that is very important to consider when thinking about the relevance of social programs in our country. My goal tonight is to plant the seed and challenge each of you to ask yourself how you can help as you continue on your path. Make sure that whatever your involvement entails, make sure to keep social programs alive.”

Following the speaker’s addresses, boxed meals were provided by The Baldwin Center as a way to provide a clear idea of what individuals receive each day.

“As I was getting ready to come here today, putting on my layers and brewing my coffee to help stay warm, I couldn’t help but think about how grateful I am to have these things,” Elizabeth Longley, executive director of the Baldwin Center said. “We have been providing services for 35 years now, which amounts to about 60,000 meals each year.”

At the conclusion of the presentations, those who planned to sleep out for the night placed the finishing touches on their cardboard shelters, switched off their electronics, and entered into a period of reflection.

The efforts of Rinehart’s group, community members, local businesses and student organizations created an event to help enrich the perspective of many regarding the issue of homelessness in America.