Another campus group is looking to combat homelessness and obstacles to ownership. 

Operation: WKU Home Matters, also known as Operation: Owning the Dream, is an attempt to fix both issues of homelessness and problems with home owning for college students within the community. 

It is part of a larger, national movement to cure these problems called Home Matters. 

The campaign for this chapter of Home Matters started on Feb. 1, but planning started in September of 2014. This chapter was formed when the Public Relations Student Society of America partnered with Home Matters and challenged Bateman Case Study competitors to raise awareness, spark interest and facilitate communal dialogue around affordable housing.

Operation: Owning the Dream will have two workshops. The first workshop occurred on Feb. 10 and dealt with the subject of homelessness. 

The other will be on Feb. 17 at 7 p.m., on the third floor of DSU and will discuss home ownership.

While this initiative will only be during the month of February, Blake Soper, the group’s public relations coordinator, hopes it will have long-lasting effect, thanks to its partnership with several local groups, such as Habitat for Humanity, The Salvation Army, Student Coalition for Renter’s Rights and Hotel Inc.

“It brings everyone together and tries to create a collaboration,” he said.

Catherine Havel, another member of Operation: Owning the Dream, believes this initiative is valuable.

 “Our primary research reveals that 91 percent of WKU students consider owning a home a part of the American Dream,” she said. “By localizing the national Home Matters movement, we are simply helping students achieve their ideal American Dream.”

Alyson Manley, advertising coordinator, thinks that this initiative will be helpful to the community.

“We hope to use a series of speakers on the 17th, to address these issues and help educate students on how they can become homeowners and how homeownership will help improve the quality of their communities,” she said. 

After the workshops, Operation: Owning the Dream will send out a survey, through both social media and email, asking students to evaluate their performance and offer suggestions on how to improve.

Operation: Owning the Dream is also promoting its mission through an online video series, available for viewing on their Facebook—Operation: WKU Home Matters. It also has a Twitter: @OperationWKU.