I Heart Oswego - SUNY Students Aid OCO Homeless Shelter

Monday, 13 February 2017 15:44

SUNY Students Aid OCO Homeless Shelter

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Students from Alpha Sigma Chi and Psi Phi Gamma held a winter supplies drive to benefit Oswego County Opportunities’ (OCO) Runaway and Homeless Youth Shelter. Above in front from left are Tyler Kamp, Alfred Scheuer, and David Fuenzalida. Middle row from left: Amber Roberts, Allison Soss, Megan Capuano, Keira Slater, She'Bria Gordon, Iyuhna Callands, Vickttoria Maxwell, and Danielle Kehoe; Back row from left Morgan Barker, Ryann Ward, JeQuana Johnson, Skyler Elkins, Kelsey Finch, Natalie Shopland, Stephanie Arnold, OCO Development Coordinator Margaret Barclay and Jill Fratangelo of OCO’s Homeless Services program. Submitted photo

SUNY Oswego students representing Alpha Sigma Chi and Psi Phi Gamma recently held a winter supply drive to benefit Oswego County Opportunities’ (OCO) Runaway and Homeless Youth Shelter. As a community service project Ryann Ward of Alpha Sigma Chi and Skyler Elkins of Psi Phi Gamma chose to do a project that would benefit those that are homeless. When they learned of OCO’s homeless shelter they contacted the agency to find out what items are in need at the shelter.

“When I spoke with Margaret Barclay at OCO she explained that there was a demand for winter clothing and that non-perishable food and household necessities are always needed. We decided that a winter supply drive to benefit OCO would be ideal for our project. With Psi Phi Gamma being our brother fraternity I contacted Skyler and our project was underway,” said Ward.

Reaching out to fellow students, friends, family, and faculty the students collected an array of winter clothing, hats, gloves, blankets and other items as well as more than $300 in monetary donations. “It’s been a very rewarding experience,” added Elkins. “You sometimes don’t realize the needs that exist and how appreciative people are of the help they receive until you experience it.”

The winter supplies drive for OCO is one of the many community service projects that the members of Alpha Sigma Chi and Psi Phi Gamma have organized. “We believe strongly in supporting the community we live in. While our stay here may be temporary the community will be here long after we’re gone. We want to do our part to keep the community strong so that years down the road our sororities, fraternities, and the community in general is still thriving,” said Ward.