Members of UW-Whitewater fraternity stepped into the shoes of homeless Americans Monday and Tuesday outside of the University Center.

Phi Beta Sigma ran a food, clothing and school supply drive Monday and Tuesday as part of the fraternities national project, Project S.L.E.E.P., Sigma’s Leading Efforts to Eliminate Poverty.

Vice President of the Whitewater chapter of Phi Beta Sigma Dominique Dixon-Wingo said the fraternity hosts events like this globally but it was time to bring it home.

“It’s one of our national programs.  They actually do it all over the world so we just decided to bring it here to Whitewater,” he said.

Chapter secretary, Charles James, said the fraternity has done well over the first two days.

“We actually collected a substantial amount of clothes, a nice amount of school supplies and about $200.”

Dixon-Wingo said the response from students so far has been very positive.

“Everything’s been really positive, everybody came out to help,” he said.  “Everyone’s either out here laughing at us because we’re joking and dancing or they come up to ask us about it.”

Though they’ve had a few laughs, James said they’re sure to let people know how serious the issue is.

“There are people who really don’t have homes and we’ve got people here who really are living this type of lifestyle,” he said.  “We just wanted to step into their shoes.  No matter how the weather was, we were going to be out here.”

Dixon-Wingo said the fraternity’s intentions were to put the problem where people would notice it.

“We just want to bring it closer to home for people.”

Phi Beta Sigma will be outside the U.C. until 4:14 p.m. today.