Philanthropy Changed

[Jen]

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[SmartBlondeGPhB]

Ours has always been, in general, camping for girls.

We used to have a number of camps around the country that we ran ourselves but for the last few years we have been affiliated with Camp Fire.

[TrueBlueKappa]

Kappa changed from the chapter's indivudal choice (though the philanhropy was suggested to help women and children) to officially partnering with Reading is Fundamental.If I remember correctly, this change was rolled out in 2005.

However, most chapters that I am familiar with (including my chapter of initiation) equally work with RIF and their former philanthropic focus.

[KSUViolet06]

Our philanthropy has always been the same, but its focus has changed before.

The Robbie Page Memorial became our philanthropy after our past president's 10 year old son Robbie Page passed away from polio.

RPM supported polio research for a long time until the vaccine came about and polio was basically wiped out in the US.

After that, HQ started to rethink our philanthropy. They still wanted to honor Robbie and support children, but polio was no longer an issue.

In the mid 60's-70's, a new field related to children was developing. Many children (like Robbie was) were stuck in hospitals and were unable to go out and play with their friends. Therapists were starting recognize the value of play in these kid's lives. They were starting to advocate the study of play and how it benefits kids, as well as the building of "play therapy' wings in children's hospitals. Thus the field of play therapy was born.

Sigma saw how this related to Robbie (who was hospitalized repeatedly until he died) and how this new type of therapy was being recognized. So we kept the name Robbie Page Memorial, but switched the focus to support play therapy. RPM contributions now fund the construction of play therapy wings in childrens hospitals as well as supports the study of play therapy at UNC Chapel Hill Medical Center.

[NutBrnHair]

Chi Omega's policy on philanthropy for many years was for the collegiate & alumnae chapters to select local causes in their community to support.

In 2001, an alliance was formed with the Make-A-Wish Foundation. Since designating this organization as our National Philanthropy, Chi Omegas have raised almost $2.5 million and donated over 100,000 volunteer hours for Make-A-Wish.

(FYI: the CEO of Make-A-Wish is a Chi Omega.)

[kathykd2005]

I think most NPC groups' philanthropies have "evolved" over the years, and thankfully, this has been a move toward helping more people in more ways. I know that Kappa Delta has four national philanthropies--Girl Scouts of the USA, The Orthopoedic Research Awards, Children's Hospital in Richmond, and Prevent Child Abuse America (founded by Kappa Delta Donna Stone), along with the fact that each chapter selects a local charity to work with for 80% of the profits of the annual Shamrock event. It's really something special to see the Children's Hospital in Richmond, and to know that your sisters have helped to fund this hospital for decades. I am proud to say that KD has more national charities than any other NPC group. Actually, I just found out yesterday that Sigma Delta Tau shares Prevent Child Abuse America with KD as their sole national philanthropy, which I never knew!

[dakareng]

Pi Beta Phi's philanthropic focus since 1910 has been literacy and support of the arts/ art education. This has taken various forms. The earliest efforts were establishing public education in the remote areas of the Smokey Mountains (Gatlinburg TN, pre- Dollywood). The elementary school there is still Pi Beta Phi school, even though the fraternity turned over control to the county years ago. The fraternity still owns the Arrowmont school of Arts and Crafts, a leader in the education of artists. I knew of Arrowmont through my father, a printmaker, long before I knew what Pi Beta Phi was!

Now, clubs and chapters are encouraged to work with local libraries and schools on literacy projects but are also encouraged to do CAR (Champions are Readers) an established program is set up to work with 3rd graders (the year that many states begin requiring passage of a standardized test). We have been partnered with Read Across America since 2005, and last year distributed books and information about literacy to passengers flying Southwest Airlines on Dr Suess's birthday.

[SouthernSweet]

Originally Posted by kathykd2005

I think most NPC groups' philanthropies have "evolved" over the years, and thankfully, this has been a move toward helping more people in more ways. I know that Kappa Delta has four national philanthropies--Girl Scouts of the USA, The Orthopoedic Research Awards, Children's Hospital in Richmond, and Prevent Child Abuse America (founded by Kappa Delta Donna Stone), along with the fact that each chapter selects a local charity to work with for 80% of the profits of the annual Shamrock event. It's really something special to see the Children's Hospital in Richmond, and to know that your sisters have helped to fund this hospital for decades. I am proud to say that KD has more national charities than any other NPC group. Actually, I just found out yesterday that Sigma Delta Tau shares Prevent Child Abuse America with KD as their sole national philanthropy, which I never knew!

I'm really glad to hear this change...I was a Brownie when I was young and LOVED IT! We didn't have a sponsor for the "juniors" so when you were too old to be a Brownie, you just stopped going.

We had a retired school teacher as our director...I'll never forget her...Georgia Smith (how Southern is that?)...she told us old ghost stories at the end of our meetings...she had a classic called, "Bloody Bones"...it was years, and years later that I realized that what she had recited from memory and long tradition, were old ghost stories that had been around these mountains for years and passed down.

[adpiucf]

I don't know about ADPi's philanthropy activities pre-RMH days, but we have supported RMH Charities since the 1970's. Our focus continues to be on-site support of local Ronald McDonald Houses and fundraisers to support the RMHC. In 2003, we extended this support to include the adoption of an RMH "Care Mobile"-- a mobile health care unit that travels to areas where people don't have access to routine medical and dental care.

ETA: The Alpha Delta Pi Foundation, our sorority's formal philanthropic arm, was established nearly 25 years ago. In addition to providing funds to RMH, the Foundation supports sorority educational and leadership training, emergency grants/aid and scholarships to ADPi's in all stages of their membership.

ETA: This raises a great question about our sororities' involvement with charitable work pre-RMH! I believe I'll ask one of our older alum at my next AA meeting!

[honeychile]

According to our website & Baird's:

1917: The Abigail Davis Student Loan fund initiated.

1919: A committee is appointed to look into child welfare work as a national philanthropy.

1941-45: During WWII, chapters were encouraged to support any and all war efforts on behalf of the Allies.

1951: Alpha Delta Pi holds its Centennial Convention at Wesleyan College in Macon, Georgia. “Aid to Handicapped Children” established as National Service Project.

1979: Alpha Delta Pi adopts Ronald McDonald Houses as the National Philanthropy. (Has anyone else ever seen an old Scott Tissue products ad, with an ADPi in the background?)

1997: Alpha Delta Pi Foundation launches “Clasped Hands Fund” to assist alumnae in need.

And adpiucf has covered the rest!

Question: In regards to the Scott ad (We had a copy in our chapter scrapbook) and seeing the Kappa Delta's hand in hand with the Girl Scouts in the Recruitment thread: I was told that we had that Scott ad in our scrapbook because the NPC ruled that it was improper for an NPC sorority to be in an advertisement as such. Does anyone have an official "ruling" on that? I don't have a Green Book, or I'd look it up myself.