Indiana Omega hopes coat giveaway helps children with school
Neylan Barr, 4, munched on a cookie and smiled when asked if she liked the new purple down coat that will keep her warm this winter.
The coat was free, thanks to the men of the Alpha Kappa Kappa chapter of Omega Psi Phi fraternity. They hosted their first winter coat giveaway for children recently at Indiana University Northwest.
“This is a blessing,” Neylan’s mother, Amber Scurry, said. “It is very nice what the fraternity brothers did for the children.”
The fraternity gave 60 down coats to boys and girls from Bailly and Bethune elementary schools. Fraternity president Kevin Hester of Country Club Hills, Ill., said school counselors helped select the children.
“The counselors have direct connection as to who are the children with the biggest need for a winter coat,” Hester said. “And in the midst of the economic crisis, we felt the giveaway was the best way to reach out to the community.”
Dina Villagomez of Gary brought her granddaughters — Alicia Villagomez, 6, and Diamond Villagomez, 9 — to the event. Each girl left with a pink down coat.
“This helps us out a lot,” Villagomez said. “The men doing this are a blessing to the children and the adults who may not be able to afford to buy new coats.”
“I like my new coat,” Alicia said.
Hester said the fraternity brothers hope the coats contribute to the kids’ success as students.
“If they have winter coats, it will keep them warm, and when they are warm, they are healthy. And when they are healthy, they stay in school,” he said.
Fraternity brother Ben Clement told the young recipients to tell their friends and family the men of Omega Psi Phi purchased and donated the coats and reached out to the community to help others.
Velveeta Davies of Gary brought her son, Jamari Bond, 5, who was given a down coat.
“It is definitely a blessing, and I thank the men for doing this,” she said.
