Hoops for Housing is a friendly Basketball Tournament to raise money for Briarpatch Youth Services’s Transitional Living Program. The Transitional Living Program provides homeless with support and life skills training as well as shelter.
Teams of 5 to 8 players will collect pledges to participate in the mini-tournament. Each game will last thirty minutes. Teams are encouraged to raise at least 100$. A free throw competition ( best of 10 tries) will be set up for people interested in gathering pledges but not in playing basketball for thirty minutes.
There will be a bouncy house, face painting, water balloon toss, a dinosaur dig and light snacks available for suggested donation of a dollar per activity or snack.
If you would like to register as a team or an individual please contact Simon Gildrie-Voyles at hoopsforhousing@gmail.com. Envelopes for gathering pledges will be sent to team captains and individuals after registration is received.
All pledges and donations will be collected at the event on August 8th.
All money raised will go to Briarpatch Youth Services. Hoops for Housing is sponsored by St. Dunstan’s Episcopal Church. Any checks should be made out to St. Dunstan’s Episcopal Church with Briarpatch Youth Services in the Memo Line. St. Dunstan’s will write one check to Briarpatch Youth services after the tournament is completed.
Our Story
Hello, my name is Simon Gildrie-Voyles.I’ve attended church at St. Dunstan’s Episcopal Church in Madison since I was born.
One day I walked home from a church service and I said out of the blue Mom I want to start a fundraiser for a homeless shelter. I explained her my idea and she listen like a good mother should and said I should try to make it happen. So I did, I set up a time and then I had to pick a place to fund. She gave me the list of homeless shelters and I had a choice between: Briarpatch, and Middleton Outreach Ministry. I was tempted to choose Middleton Outreach ministry but then I thought about Briarpatch.
I always thought that only young kids were homeless and grownups. How wrong I was. There are almost 2,000 teenagers who have abandoned home in Dane County in 2012. When I looked up what are the dangers of being homeless as a teen these where the things I saw. There is a danger of the following: survival sex, shoplifting, drug dealing, and gangs. I for one was appalled. That’s when I learned about brairpatch. Brairpatch’s TLP program provides housing for up to 8 youth at any given time as well as giving them: outreach, case management, life skills training, and job readiness. Also youth are expected to stay for up to 6 to 18 months, so they are prepared for life. They serve people for up to six years. And finally its the only service of its kind in Dane county. Think about the word only. The only service of it’s kind in Dane County.But the thing that really touched me about Briarpatch is that there are these certain people who are helping are youth making the homeless see the light of a home. Of a place where they can call home.
The thing I hope to accomplish is just giving them a boast, a boast to help them accomplish wonders and change the state into a better. Also i'm telling you this now, Briarpatch is only the beginning.