Beginning today at 8 a.m. and ending Friday at 8 a.m., Phi Beta Sigma fraternity will hold its annual homeless awareness fundraiser.
The Sigma Sleep-Out for the Homeless focuses on the issue of homelessness in the community and nationwide. This year marks the 12th annual sleep-out and the men of Phi Beta Sigma are more than thrilled to get this fundraiser started, Treasurer James Johnson said.
Phi Beta Sigma came up with this fundraiser to match its founding principles of brotherhood, scholarship, and service, Johnson said. The sleep out Treasurer James Johnson.
"It definitely affects the community as a whole," Vice President Edward McClung said. "You know people tell us we are crazy standing out in the cold weather, but they notice. When it's really cold outside, they start to get the message. As a whole, it brings the community close; it makes them feel needed, it's real. We get more people that donate every year."
The men of Phi Beta Sigma felt that it was their duty to serve the community in any way that they could, he said. Homelessness seemed to be a prominent problem in the community and the nation and the fraternity members felt it was their duty to do something about it and created the annual sleepout, Johnson said.
"This is a national thing for our fraternity," McClung said. "In our chapter, it's poverty awareness month for our fraternity. By doing it some other time we couldn't relate to actual homeless people. Like last year was the first day it snowed and it was good for us to experience that in order to relate to being homeless. Luckily, this year its not supposed to snow."
The Sigma Sleep-Out for the Homeless is held at the Scramble Light. Students and members of the community can be able to drop off canned goods, clothes, toys, money donations and anything else helpful to the homeless, Johnson said. Items can be brought anytime during the fundraiser. There are six members of Phi Beta Sigma that will be participating. Money and supplies will be donated to Muncie Mission, McClung said.
Although today is the main day Phi Beta Sigma is collecting donations, Johnson said people can donate year-round. Money can be sent to mailbox 116 in the L.A. Pittenger Student Center and the fraternity will donate it to the Muncie Mission, Johnson said.
The members of Phi Beta Sigma are especially excited about this year, McClung said. With the help of advertising on Facebook, local news stations and word of mouth, the men expect to raise between $500 and $1,000 this year, he said.
"The fundraiser has been getting larger and larger every year," he said. "This makes it obvious that more people are becoming aware of the issue."
Last year, about $350 was raised, Johnson said. The fundraiser has always been a success, but it usually brings in canned goods and supplies. This year, the fraternity hopes more money will be donated as well, he said.
The Sleep-Out affects not only people in need, but also the men of Phi Beta Sigma, McClung said.
"Personally, it makes me realize that there are people less fortunate than I am," he said. "It's bad, we actually get to see and meet some of the people that are there and it really hits home. Doing this makes me feel like I can actually give back to the less fortunate."
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