Students stop by the Hill to make sandwiches for the homeless

Tubs of peanut butter and jelly lay open across a sticky table in De Neve Plaza as students crowded around, chatting about classes and debating the advantages of crunchy and creamy.

The student group Swipes for the Homeless held a quarterly event Thursday called Sandwiches for Smiles, letting students stop by to make sandwiches for homeless individuals on their way to and from the dorms.

The group plans to take the sandwiches to the Ocean Park Community Center in Santa Monica Friday morning to be distributed to homeless people there, said Divya Mowji, a fourth-year psychobiology student and the event’s head organizer. In the past, the group has gone to Westwood to hand-deliver the sandwiches to homeless individuals in the area.

This quarter, students made 500 sandwiches – up from last quarter’s 200. Sandwiches for Smiles began two years ago, but Swipes for the Homeless worked with a group in UCLA Residential Life for the first time this quarter.

This was also the first time Sandwiches for Smiles took place on the Hill instead of at Hillel at UCLA on Hilgard Avenue, as a way to make the event more accessible to students.

Swipes for the Homeless came to UCLA Housing to ask for funding help, said Halea Waters, a third-year sociology student in the National Residence Hall Honorary, as she placed fresh sandwiches in plastic bags.

Swipes for the Homeless’ main focus is on swipe drives at the end of each quarter when members set up booths outside dining halls for students to donate leftover swipes, said Amir Hakimi, fourth-year neuroscience student and member of the organization.

The club wanted to expand its work beyond the swipe drives, so it implemented Sandwiches for Smiles as a way to get more students involved, Hakimi said.

“Since this is the first large-scale event we’ve done on the Hill, it’s sort of a trial run,” said Aaron Masjedi, fourth-year psychology student and a member of Swipes for the Homeless. “We’re seeing if people will stop and help out.”

Jimmer Young, a third-year international development studies student, said he saw the club’s table setup as he walked back from campus and decided to help the group make sandwiches.

“I don’t have a whole lot to do with my day and this seemed like a worthwhile way to spend it,” Young said while he selected a container of grape jelly.