The season of giving hasn’t ended yet.
To provide care for the growing homeless population, Greeks for Gainesville, a student-run program, has joined the efforts of the Helping Hands Clinic to donate hot meals.
Michael Watson, the fraternity coordinator, started volunteering with the Helping Hands Clinic in March and said he created the program after seeing how desperate the clinic was for donations.
“It’s extremely rewarding,” said the 21-year-old applied physiology and kinesiology senior. “You definitely get a sense of accomplishment and appreciation.”
Since the program began, Sigma Chi, Sigma Alpha Epsilon, Alpha Tau Omega and Kappa Alpha fraternities, along with Alpha Delta Pi and Delta Delta Delta sororities, have joined Greeks for Gainesville. The organization donates two meals a month, doubling the amount of food the clinic was able to provide before. The food is prepared in the chapter houses, then delivered and served by sorority or fraternity members.
Watson, a member of Sigma Chi, said this program is an eye-opener.
“All students at UF are living on an island that is the University of Florida,” he said. “You come out of this with a perspective on your life, and you realize your worries aren’t as important as you used to think.”
Corrine Kunkle, a 21-year-old biology senior and the sorority coordinator, helped Watson start the program over the summer.
Kunkle, a member of the Delta Delta Delta sorority, said it was sad to see so much food thrown away at her house and was glad chapters were getting involved to donate food and leftovers.
Watson’s and Kunkle’s next step is to incorporate clothing donations into the program.
“The houses and the people in them are wanting to help, and this was a perfect opportunity to do that right in Gainesville,” Watson said. “It’s hands-on helping people.”
Contact Alexa Volland at avolland@alligator.org.
