Fraternity members at Kean University raising money to house homeless family

Anthony Johnson Image
Friday, February 27, 2015
New Jersey fraternity members helping homeless
Anthony Johnson reports on Kean University frat members raising money to help a homeless family find a place to live.

UNION, N.J. -- Fraternities tend to get a bad rap; but some frat guys in New Jersey are doing something good.



Members of a fraternity at Kean University have raised money for a new place for a homeless family to live.



The young men are dream makers, members of a fraternity at Kean University, following the organization's mission to have a long impact on others.



Tosin Oduwole has a full-time job and goes to the school. He is the frat member credited with the effort to purchase chase the land and build a special two-family house.



"So in one of the units, we will allow a homeless family to live until they get their life together, no matter how long it takes, until they get on their feet and the second unit, we're going to rent it out," Oduwole said.



Several of the members are from Newark and surrounding communities and have seen the plight of the homeless and want to help.



"If you wait to do everything for everybody instead of doing something for somebody you don't do anything at all. This is a living testament of that," said Anthony Wright, a Kean University student.



Neighbors have questions.



"I applaud what the fraternity is trying to do, but we want to keep our house secure and safe also," a neighbor said.



The frat raised a thousand dollars to purchase the land in an area where there are a lot of empty lots and abandoned properties.



A home is planned for the site on South 17th Street.



The fraternity started a fundraising page called gofundme.com/hopeisalive to raise $100,000 to pay for construction.



"We want to help family move in, raise the money and be passionate about the project," a fraternity member said.



This is expected to be done by the summer, and that is when a mother who works two part-time jobs with her two children are expected to move in.

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