Members of UNO’s Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity aren't living in boxes at the Crossroads Mall parking lot just for fun, but to prove a point.

“We’re not a big city, we don’t have slums and we don’t have people hanging out on every corner, but its still and issue," says Michael Crabb, who hopes his back pain is enough to raise awareness of Omaha’s need for food.

“You wake up sore in places that you didn’t even know you had muscles. Hopefully people see that and it gets them thinking and it gets them motivated."

Motivated to donate cans to the fraternity’s sixth annual Kick the Can Food Drive. Last year they collected over 10,000 cans, this year the goal is to exceed that number.

Previously, the week-long event was held on the UNO campus. This year, event chairman Matthew DeBolt expects a greater turnout because of the more centralized location.

“Previous years on UNO’s campus we’ve been really landlocked and this really opens the event up to the public so they can really see what we’re doing out here."

Although made of cardboard, some of the shelters seemed pretty sturdy, including Crabb’s teepee. “I spent four or five hours making my box. You have to cut the pieces and put them all up.”

DeBolt knows what building materials really matter. “The main thing is just the zip ties. People try to go with duct tape and the zip ties definitely hold it together better.”

No matter what the shelters look like, the Salvation Army appreciates the support. “Now as we get into the summer months, that’s usually when the supplies start to dwindle and so to have this as a push to help replenish those stocks for the summer, that’s very important to us,” says Major Merle Heatwole.

Heatwole says the Salvation Army has seen an increase in people needing services the past six months, so he encourages people to donate at 3612 Cuming Street, even after the can drive is over.