Sleepout for the Homeless , an annual event hosted by Phi Beta Sigma, took place from 7 p.m. Saturday to 7 a.m. Sunday to raise money and collect nonperishable food and clothing for the City Rescue Mission, a shelter in Lansing.
For human biology junior Kenneth Green, community service is a key part of his life.
“It feels good to give back,” said Green, the president of the MSU chapter of Phi Beta Sigma. “We are in a position where we have a lot of resources to use and we feel obligated to do it.”
Media and information junior Kristopher Johnson said having perspective on homelessness is important.
“To really help another person you need to understand where they come from,” said Johnson, a fraternity brother.
Johnson wasn’t disappointed about missing out on the weekend. His main concern was the exposure homeless people experience in the cold weather.
“Actually being out here for 10 to 12 hours experiencing the cold adds value to when someone comes to me and asks for money because that makes me understand where they are coming from and what they are going through,” Johnson said.
Members of other sororities and fraternities attended the event to show support for Phi Beta Sigma.
Sigma Lambda Gamma sorority sister and psychology senior Titilope Oladipo brought food to the brothers of Phi Beta Sigma.
The organizers specifically planned to raise money on St. Patrick’s Day weekend because of the mass of people who flood the streets to celebrate the holiday.
According to Johnson, people are more generous when they are having fun and tend to donate more.
Phi Beta Sigma usually raises around $300 to $500 in the 12 hours each year.
