15th July 2024
Pi Psi Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority hosts “Helping the Homeless” Open Service Distribution
Amidst the bustling streets of downtown Orlando, the homeless community instantly noticed UCF's Pi Psi Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority members dressed in pink and green, passing out bags of necessities on Sunday morning.
After about a week and a half of collecting a variety of donated toiletries such as toothbrushes, toothpaste, deodorant, bandages, Kleenex and more, the sorority traveled downtown to the Christian Service Center to help alleviate the homeless community.
An estimated 26,284 individuals are homeless in Florida, according to the Shimberg Center for Housing Studies. This includes 20,344 sheltered and unsheltered individuals and 5,940 unaccompanied youth doubled up with others in hotels and motels.
The study also shows that the Orange, Osceola and Seminole County regions had the highest count in Florida at 4,136 for homeless families.
Nia Ulysse, senior advertising and public relations major, is the president of the Pi Psi Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority. She said that volunteering is important and is a crucial part of the organization’s local community initiative.
“It’s definitely important to make sure you’re providing the basic needs to those who are without a home,” Ulysse said. “The stuff that we think is easily accessible, it really is not when you don’t have all those resources.”