AN NDSU FRATERNITY AND SORORITY ARE PARTNERING UP FOR THEIR ANNUAL FREEZE-A-THON. THEY’RE STANDING OUTSIDE FOR 120 HOURS ATTEMPTING TO RAISE $30,000 DOLLARS FOR CHARITY.
FARGO, N.D. (KVRR) – A North Dakota State University fraternity and sorority are partnering up for their annual Freeze-A-Thon.
They’re standing outside for 120 hours attempting to raise $30,000 for charity.
“We’ll be out here 24/7 Monday through Friday. All of us have to do six hours we’re taking shifts two of us at a time,” Jordan Amerg of Alpha Tau Omega said.
“Alpha Tau Omega has been a huge contributor in helping be an impact in our community,” Founder and Executive Director of Down Homes Jenessa Fillipi said.
Along with Kappa Delta Sorority this partnership is in year three.
Every year the money raised has gone to Down Homes.
“I think it’s important just because obviously they’re in a place of need. So if we can raise money to do that , why not,” said Abby Nelson of Kappa Delta.
Down Homes assisted their first family in December of 2017. Since then, they have helped 98 families and touched over 300 lives in the community.
“The idea came out of my role as a school counselor and seeing a gap in our community for children that were coming to school and they were having difficulty focusing and attending. When I started learning about their families a little bit and recognized that many of them were going to bed without a mattress to sleep on, they were going home without a table to eat at,” Fillipi said.
They customize every home specific for the family chosen.
“So we purchase the brand new mattresses, brand new sheets and brand new pillows and when we give a reveal to a family after we’ve transformed their space, and they come in and see it for the first time it is very humbling. It’s humbling to be able to say, when you look around this space, there are hundreds of people in our community that have helped make your space possible. Oftentimes there’s tears, lots of hugs and lots of joy,” Fillipi said.
“It’s been really good so far, we’ve got a lot of people smiling and waving, and honking at us, yea we appreciate the support,” Amerg said.
Down Homes works with churches and shelters around the area to identify families in need for their services.
