Zeta News

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Zeta Phi Beta Sorority awarded grant to support relief efforts

March of Dimes gives international service organization funding to expand its outreach to pregnant women and infants in the Gulf Coast region

HILTON HEAD, SC—Zeta Phi Beta Sorority was awarded a grant from the March of Dimes to support relief efforts for families impacted by Hurricanes Katrina, Rita and Wilma. The $45,000 grant was presented at the 71st Southeastern Regional Conference by Harry Capell, March of Dimes Senior Vice President of Volunteer Leadership Development, in recognition of the Sorority’s longstanding partnership with the March of Dimes and its ability to quickly mobilize relief efforts in the impacted communities.

The recent grant award expands the organization’s existing hurricane relief program. On September 9, Zeta Phi Beta launched Project Stork’s Nest Delivery, a national project in collaboration with the March of Dimes. Each of the Sorority’s 800 chapters was encouraged to collect money and donate items to shelters and charity groups meeting the needs of displaced victims in Louisiana, Alabama, Mississippi and Florida. To date, thousands of dollars and clothing articles have been donated on behalf of Zeta women and their auxiliaries.

“The horrific events in the wake of Hurricane Katrina and the added devastation caused by Hurricanes Rita and Wilma, compel us to ensure that Zeta, the preeminent predominately African-American women's service organization, does even more to bring relief to those who must continue to rebuild their lives,” said Barbara C. Moore, International President. “This March of Dimes grant will certainly enable us to expand our outreach in the impacted communities.”

The Z-HOPE Stork’s Nest Hurricane Support Initiative is the expansion of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority’s current community service initiative, Z-HOPE™ (Zetas Helping Other People Excel) combined with a concentrated focus that supplements the routine outreach of chapter Stork’s Nests by adding resources to increase the quantity of infant supplies & resources/educational information available to be provided to those affected by the hurricanes via a national multi-site project that uses culturally tailored interactive health promotion messages to empower participants to choose health promoting lifestyles.

The new initiative takes its name from the joint Zeta Phi Beta/March of Dimes Stork’s Nest Program. This program, created in 1972, provides expectant mothers items such as maternity clothes, layettes and furniture at minimal or no cost. The program also consists of an educational component addressing prenatal care, nutrition, infant care and parenting.

“Over the next few weeks our Stork’s Nest and Z-HOPE project leadership will be working with March of Dimes representatives and Zeta chapters to formally launch the initiative to bring valuable support to storm displaced pregnant women and families with young children,” said Moore. “We hope our efforts will bring comfort to many whose lives have been dramatically changed.”

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Zeta Phi Beta Sorority was founded in 1920 in Washington, D.C., on the belief that the social nature of sorority life should not overshadow the real mission of progressive organizations—to address societal mores, ills, prejudices, poverty, and health concerns of the day. The international organization's more than 125,000 initiated members and affiliates have given millions of voluntary hours to educate the public, provide scholarships, support organized charities and promote legislation for social and civic change. Zeta Phi Beta has more than 800 chapters in the United States, Japan, Germany, the Republic of Korea, and the Caribbean. In addition to its membership of college-educated woman, the Zeta Phi Beta umbrella include Amicae (adult women), Archonettes (teen girls), Amicettes (pre-teen girls), Pearlettes (elementary age girls), and the Zeta Male Network auxiliaries. For more information on Zeta Phi Beta, please visit www.zphib1920.org.

Stork's Nest is a prenatal education program operated by Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc., the March of Dimes and cooperating community agencies in more than 100 communities. The program has three major objectives:
•Provides prenatal education and incentives to low income pregnant women.
•Motivates women to get early, regular prenatal care through earned incentives.
•Educates women on self-care during pregnancy, childbirth, and postpartum.

The March of Dimes is a national voluntary health agency whose mission is to improve the health of babies by preventing birth defects, premature birth and infant mortality. Founded in 1938, the March of Dimes funds programs of research, community services, education, and advocacy to save babies and in 2003 launched a campaign to address the increasing rate of premature birth. For more information, visit the March of Dimes Web site at marchofdimes.com or its Spanish Web site at nacersano.org.

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Gigail "Gail" Cureton
Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc.
Director, Marketing Communications/PR
877-905-0169 (Voice Mail/Fax)
239-860-1383 (Cell)
Email: pr@zphib1920.org