'Stand-Up' raises over $17,000 for homeless

The Stand-Up Against Homelessness organization raised over $17,000 from ticket and concessions sales at last month's comedy concert, organizers said yesterday, adding they hope the event will be held annually. "We're very happy with what we made," event organizer Rob Inerfeld said last night. "The event reached our expectations." Organizers said they are still determining exact figures on how much the concert, held two weeks ago, has earned. Despite the $17,000 tally, organizers said last month that they hoped to raise a total of $40,000 including corporate donations and advertising revenue. But event organizer Neil Schur said he was pleased with the event, adding that Comic Relief Special Events Organizer Judd Apatow was happy with it and that the comedians enjoyed themselves. "We were proud to see the University come together -- both students and administrators to help face problems that plague our streets," Schur said. Stand-Up, sponsored by Kappa Alpha Psi and Tau Epsilon Phi fraternities and by Comic Relief, featured MTV star Colin Quinn as well as "Saturday Night Live" cast members Rob Schneider, Adam Sandler and David Spade. Money raised for the event has been pledged to Philadelphia Health Care for the Homeless. Inerfeld, an Engineering senior, said organizers will meet with Health Care for the Homeless representatives and University City Hospitality Coalition representatives to determine exactly how the event proceeds will be spent, adding the money will not go towards general funds. "We're confident that the homeless of West Philadelphia will be helped," organizer Schur said. "This will go directly toward our own neighborhood -- our own little part of the world." Inerfeld said organizers want to discuss giving some of the proceeds to UCHC's proposed Survival Center in University City with Health Care for the Homeless representatives. The Survival Center, which has been in the planning stages for six years, would provide daytime care for homeless people. Inerfeld said it may be possible for Health Care for the Homeless to provide a nurse and medical supplies at the center, adding the final decision to give money to UCHC would be made by Stand-Up organizers and Health Care for Homeless workers.

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