Philanthropy Update

by Lauren Porter, National Philanthropy Chair

This year has presented many challenges for our sisterhood. Philanthropy remains a cornerstone of our organization, even through the new obstacles that have been presented. Despite the challenges, our 220+ actives continued to uphold our value of kindness lived out through acts of service and philanthropy.

At the time of this writing, our membership has completed over 3000 hours of service for the 2020-2021 school year and engaged in a wide variety of projects. Here are just a few highlights: • Kappa Iota did an environmental cleanup project, blood and hair donations, a chapter-funded Angel Tree project, and card-making for elementary students. • Kappa Lambda sisters volunteered at the Health Equity Alliance, Planned Parenthood, food drives, and clothes drives in their community. • Kappa Omicron had many sisters volunteer with 7 Cup to provide peer mental health support, Habitat for Humanity, Love for the Elderly, and Yards for Yeardley. • Kappa Sigma volunteered at a soup kitchen, made masks, and went to blood drives.

• Kappa Upsilon did an AFSP Out of the Darkness virtual walk, a large fundraiser for St. Jude Children’s Hospital, and a project for National Diabetes Day. • Kappa Chi did a virtual St. Jude’s walk, wrote letters to soldiers, and participated in a Jimmy Fund walk. • Kappa Alpha Gamma volunteered at food banks, the Reclaim Our Vote campaign, an environmental cleanup project, and a regional animal shelter. • Kappa Alpha Iota wrote cards to children and veteran’s, raised funds for COVID relief, and helped with COVID testing. • Kappa Alpha Nu attended an AFSP walk, did apple picking with Indian Ladder Farms, donated blood, and did projects around bystander intervention and stalking awareness.

• Kappa Alpha Xi did a lot of fundraisers, including a Paint and Sip night, a raffle, a kickball game, selling masks, participated in an Out of the Darkness Walk, and volunteered with the Trax the Moose Campaign. • Kappa Alpha Omicron Emerging Chapter did a breast cancer fundraiser and a Valentine’s Day AFSP fundraiser. • Kappa Alpha Pi Emerging Chapter volunteered with a food pantry, made masks with the Red Cross, and attended the John Calvin Toll Day of Service .

The National Board raised over $800 in the fall and is aiming to raise $1,971 this spring through 100 donations of $19.71 in honor of Kappa’s 50th anniversary. Our organization is in its fourth year of partnership with the American Foundation with Suicide Prevention and supporting their work on prevention, research, advocacy, and support.

In February, Kappa had its first "It’s Real: College Mental Health" viewing and discussion with the AFSP. Active and alumnae sisters and board members were able to come together to have a #RealConvo around mental health, suicide prevention, caring for ourselves, and looking out for each other. We had 30 sisters in attendance and spent time learning about these important topics together with take-aways for suicide prevention and supporting the mental health of our sisters. Another training, "Talk Saves Lives" with the AFSP, will be offered at Convention 2021 for sisters to continue this conversation.