Winter in Michigan is certainly no laughing matter — between the tendency for unpredictable weather and the proximity to the Great Lakes, winters are frigid and brutal more often than not. That uncertainty, however, also means that some years are warmer than others (this year included). While this winter might seem unseasonably warm for most, it's another story for homeless or precariously housed individuals. According to the National Weather Service , even 40°F temperatures can feel below freezing with winds as low as 20 MPH. When you also take into account that temperatures drop significantly at night, that winds are intensified by tall buildings in urban areas (where many homeless individuals stay), and that these individuals often don't have access to weather-appropriate clothing, it's no surprise that the homeless population is one of the most at-risk when it comes to exposure-related conditions such as hypothermia and frostbite. For Wayne State student...

Sean Anderson — or as he's known to most, Big Sean — is a Detroit native and rapper who rose to fame after being discovered by Kanye West in 2005. Though he's found a good deal of success in music, Big Sean has also dedicated himself to the vision of helping to improve the quality of life for young people and their families — a mission that has no doubt made an incredible impact here in his hometown. Sean has been an active part of the recent Detroit renaissance, making plans to bring an Emagine Theatre to the city, founding the Detroit's On Now (DON) Weekend , and even trying his hand at producing with the documentary film Detroit Comeback City . Sean also founded the Sean Anderson Foundation with the help of his mother, with the mission to "assist in the education, health, safety and well-being of Detroit area school aged youth as well as disadvantaged youth in other areas across the nation." Since its institution in 2012, the Sean Anderson Foundation...

As the days begin to get colder, it's a reminder that winter is right around the corner, and Michigan winters in particular are known for their harsh temperatures. Even before winter hits, temperatures can drop much lower at night and put homeless individuals at risk. According to the National Weather Service , even 40°F temperatures can feel below freezing with winds as low as 20 MPH. Taking into account the fact that a good deal of homeless individuals are situated within urban areas that have increased wind speeds between the buildings, it's easy for winds to create bitter temperatures when the actual air temperature is what most would only consider to be a bit chilly. Spending long periods of time in these temperatures — such as by sleeping on the streets — also increases the risk of hypothermia. The Mayo Clinic defines hypothermia as "a medical emergency that occurs when your body loses heat faster than it can produce heat, causing a dangerously low body tempera...

The beginning of October means midterm season is here, and the stress is enough to send even the best students scrambling. As mentioned in our last blog post , college can be a stressful time for students from all different walks of life; 45% of students list stress as a factor in seeking out counseling. But what about students who don't feel the need to seek out formal counseling, or those who are unable to access those services for any number of reasons? Whether you seek mental health assistance or not, taking care of yourself and managing stress is incredibly important. Although it may not seem like a big deal to push through stress and handle it on your own, stressors can compound over time and cause chronic stress  which according to the American Psychological Association , "may also cause disease, either because of changes in your body or the overeating, smoking and other bad habits people use to cope with stress." It's not just in the long run, either: mu...

Whether you're a freshman struggling to get used to campus life, a senior stressing about what lies beyond graduation, or anywhere in between, college can (without a doubt) be one of the most stressful times for students. A recent study by the American Psychological Association found that 61% of students across the nation seeking counseling report anxiety, with depression (49%) and stress (45%) following closely behind. Although these issues can affect anyone regardless of race, class, gender, or sexuality, it often times weighs very heavily on students who are homeless or precariously housed. The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) found that anywhere from 20% to 25% of the homeless population in the US live with some form of severe mental illness (compared to just 6% of the overall American population). Harvard notes that " mental illness is often cited as a major cause of homelessness , illustrating a causative relationship that extends beyond mere correlatio...

There's an undeniable relation between homelessness and food insecurity, and students are no exception to this struggle. "College is stressful enough," writes a HIGH scholarship recipient Colleen Messimer "without having to worry about money for food,housing, and transportation." According to Feeding America's 2014 study, 31% of the households they serve have to choose between paying for food or their education . At the HIGH Program, we provide funding to homeless or precariously-housed Wayne State students so that they're no longer forced to choose between the two, but it also goes beyond that -- part of the assistance that we provide is access to food through campus meal plans.  As Hunger Action Month comes to a close, both Wayne State students and local community members might wonder how they might be able to help, but not know where to begin. Luckily, there are quite a few ways that anyone can help support the HIGH Program as well as help to fig...

Even though we're constantly progressing as a society, there's still a lingering stigma against the homeless, and the challenges that arise as a result often makes it difficult for those individuals to put themselves in better situations. Over the weekend, a story broke about Washington D.C. student Jamal Speaks, who was barred from playing on his high school football team because he was homeless. According to NBC Washington , officials said that Speaks became ineligible to play -- or even practice with his team in the meantime -- because they couldn't verify a permanent address to confirm residency. For many low-income and homeless youths, a scholarship of some sort is their only shot at receiving a college education; among those are sports scholarships, which often provide a full ride for promising young athletes. Adding insult to injury, recruiters from Temple University had come to watch Speaks play when he was pulled from the game to be sidelined because of his resid...