Shelter Sunday

On Sunday, October 18, the organization Shelter Sunday is hosting an event where volunteers will canvass the Amherst area, door-to-door, and ask town residents for donations. The money donated goes to 5 local public services like soup kitchens and shelter services within the Amherst, Pelham, and Hadley areas. Our fraternity, Pi Kappa Phi, has been asked to organize a team of five people led by a team captain for a day of service. There is no limit on the number of teams. The Shelter Sunday organization will provide us with the necessary training and materials required on the day of the event.

Shelter Sunday organization is a one-day, door-to-door solicitation, organized and run by Amherst Friends for the Homeless, Inc., a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. This event has been ongoing for the past 21 years so in a large majority of the cases, residents will have a check ready even before you approach them at their door. Shelter Sunday representatives have also stressed on dedication and enthusiasm in the program amongst volunteers.

At this past chapter meeting, a sign-up sheet was sent around and these are the men who have already agreed to be a part of the service:

• Brandon Kurtich
• Josh Slocum
• Dave Paquette
• Rusty Brown
• Blaine Stillerman
• Jitesh Khushalani
• Paul Levitan

Volunteers are required to arrive at Fine Arts Center at 12:30 on October 18. Once they arrive and register, they will be briefed on their duties and dispatched to their designated routes. Once a team finishes their route, they will return to Fine Arts Center and get debriefed. The Shelter Sunday representatives have also added they will be offering gift certificates from local stores as a recognition of our hard work.

If you would like to be a part of the teams, please e-mail Jitesh at at jiteshmk@gmail.com or Paul at plevitan@student.umass.edu. For more info on Shelter Sunday, please visit www.sheltersunday.org.