Westfield State Students Launch Campaign for Friends of the Homeless

WESTFIELD — Advanced public relations students at Westfield State University (WSU) are launching a campaign, “Putt a Hole in Homelessness,” for Friends of the Homeless, which is a program at Clinical & Support Options (CSO) in Springfield.

Friends of the Homeless (FOH) is a nonprofit organization with a mission of providing services to unhoused people in the Western Mass. community. FOH aims to provide temporary shelter and means, with a goal of helping individuals forge a path into permanent housing and being independent in their community.

The students’ campaign aims to raise awareness of Friends of the Homeless and its mission. Funds raised will help FOH purchase essential items that clients will need once they move into permanent housing, including bedding and kitchen items.

The students are hosting two golf-related events, one at the Westfield State University Dining Commons and one at the Holyoke Mall. The dates for these events are as follows:

The Holyoke Mall event is slated for Saturday, April 26 from 11 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. outside of Target. The university Dining Commons event will take place Monday, April 28 from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and again from 4 to 7:30 p.m.

The social media account linked to this campaign is @putt4homeless, along with the hashtag #puttforhomeless.

“CSO’s Friends of the Homeless program in Springfield provides much more than emergency shelter,” CSO President and CEO Karin Jeffers said. “In fact, our housing services are an integral part of FOH’s programming. After all, moving individuals out of shelter and into permanent housing not only frees up shelter resources for others experiencing homelessness, but also empowers individuals to be independent.

“By focusing on that ‘next step’ of housing shelter guests, WSU’s advanced public relations students have exemplified a keen awareness of what takes to meet the needs of unhoused adults,” she added. “CSO is grateful to receive these funds on behalf of our guests — but we’re also thrilled to see young adults giving sophisticated thought to the entire shelter system and to the ways in which community members can help address gaps in funding.”

Donations to the campaign can be made by Venmo to @Putt4Homlessness or by Cash App to $Putt4Homelessness.

“This Westfield State Communication Department course partners with a local nonprofit each semester to help the community through its civic engagement program,” Adjunct Professor of Communication Suzanne Boniface said. “These public relations students use the skills they have acquired from their studies and gain practical experience for their future careers. The students have also gained a deeper understanding for those faced with homelessness in our community and are deeply committed to supporting their campaign.”