Journalism

Although college homecomings are about showing off your school spirit and experiencing fun activities such as pep rallies and Saturday night football games, Siena Heights University’s homecoming is also a time that focuses on helping others.

Siena Heights University’s fraternity Pi Lambda Phi goes above and beyond to create awareness and raise funds for the homeless in Michigan with a concentration of Lenawee County. What once started as brothers setting up a table and asking for donations has evolved into the fraternity living outside in cardboard boxes for 3 days to raise money for the homeless community. https://www.shuspectra.com/2402/news/homeless-for-the-homeless/ https://www.shuspectra.com/2402/news/homeless-for-the-homeless/ https://www.shuspectra.com/2402/news/homeless-for-the-homeless/

“For 3 days, we act as though we were truly homeless,” Josh Dowell a member of Phi Lambda Phi said, “We cannot use technology (besides for school work), we eat very meagerly, and sleep outside with nothing more than a tarp, some blankets, and our cardboard box.”

Surrounding the box are going to be posted facts about the lives of the homeless throughout Michigan. The experience is supposed to be emotion and thought provoking.

Although this out of the (cardboard) box thinking, may come across as absurd, this approach has been very successful. Dowell said, “We raised over $500 in cash donations, $200 in food donations, and a little over $300 in clothes and other items in the past year alone.”

According to Dowell, this event is successful among the Siena Heights community because it allows the students to see their friends living the lives of the homeless. Dowell said, “Instead of just asking for money and then donating it, seeing their friends and community members outside living on the lawn brings the problem home.”

When the students of Siena Heights see their friends living on the streets, it allows them to gain a little insight of what it is truly like to be homeless. By seeing the effects of the homeless, students are more likely to donate to help the cause because they begin to understand how difficult the situation can truly be.

“We also do an educational part as well as raising money for various homeless shelters/food banks,” Dowell said, “We have pamphlets that we are going to be handing out this year with facts about homelessness in Lenawee County as well as all of Michigan.”

For those who are very passionate about helping the less fortunate, there will also be contact information for the local homeless shelters and food banks that will also be given out.