Supporting Literacy Initiatives at the Local Level

Pi Beta Phi’s philanthropic effort — Read > Lead > Achieve® — inspires a lifelong love of reading that can unlock true potential, creating a more literate and productive society. For many Pi Phis, the opportunity to participate in literacy service is most rewarding. Across North America, chapters and alumnae clubs partner with nonprofits and organizations in their local communities to support literacy efforts.

During Convention 2021, the Arrowhead-West Phoenix, Arizona, Alumnae Club was presented with the 2020 Award for Excellence in Literacy Initiatives for Small Clubs. Over the last several years, the club’s impact within the local community has grown exponentially.

More than 10 years ago, the Arizona club partnered with a second-grade classroom at Thompson Ranch Elementary School. When the partnership began, club members volunteered in the classroom and gave each child a book of their own. “Over the years, it has been so fulfilling and worthwhile to see the joy and delight on each student’s face,” says KATHIE ERICKSON BRIDGES, Utah Alpha. Not too much later the club was providing a book to each second-grade student and soon thereafter, with support from Pi Beta Phi Foundation’s FDS500 grant, every student at Thompson Ranch Elementary. In addition to their work with Thompson Ranch Elementary, the club found new ways to support literacy efforts in local communities. After partnering with a local high school’s SkillsUSA, club members installed Little Free Libraries outside several YMCA locations, providing books to both children and adults.

“YMCA Directors have asked our club for a Little Free Library at each of their locations,” says Literacy Committee Chair DEBBIE SEELEY FANNING, Wyoming Alpha. “We donate the physical library container as well as books to the library and extra books for back stock.” Club members are already hard at work on their fourth library which will include several bilingual and multicultural books to support a primarily Spanishspeaking community.

While literacy efforts remain a priority for all alumnae clubs and chapters, members of the Arrowhead-West Phoenix club know the importance firsthand. “More than 30% of our members were teachers or principals,” says Arrowhead-West Phoenix Co-President BARB ALLBEE SAUNDERS, Oklahoma Alpha. “As a former librarian, I – along with the rest of our membership – truly believe literacy and education are the foundation of our society.”

It’s the passion of these members which drives the club’s literacy efforts. “Our members are continually researching ways to help our community and contacting local organizations and schools for ways to support their literacy endeavors,” Barb says.

Also presented with the 2020 Award for Excellence in Literacy Initiatives for Large Clubs was the Northern Virginia Alumnae Club. For several years, the club has provided literacy programming and book donations to Hybla Valley Elementary School. While the relationships were initially built around literacy support, club members were able to expand their impact when the COVID-19 pandemic hit.

“We not only provided books and school supplies but also food and household goods – items desperately needed when many in that community were ill or out of work,” says Vice President Philanthropy BOBBI RHEIN NELSON, California Eta.

In addition to their physical donations, the Northern Virginia Alumnae Club also applied for a Local Impact Grant through Pi Beta Phi Foundation which allowed the club to direct 25% of their Literacy Fund gifts to Hybla Valley Elementary School with our Foundation matching the donation, dollar for dollar. Support from our Foundation allows Pi Phi chapters and alumnae clubs to extend the reach of their support.

Club leaders from the Northern Virginia club took advantage of the opportunity to build on their financial support with Pi Phi's FDS500 grant program funded by our Foundation. Through the program, the club was able to donate 500 books to Ayuda – a local nonprofit which provides legal, social and language services to people who have immigrated to the area and come from low-income backgrounds.

Similar to the Arrowhead-West Phoenix club, the Northern Virginia club members know their community has significant needs in the areas of language, education and literacy, and looks to their members for opportunities to provide support.

“We identified both Hybla Valley Elementary and Ayuda as organizations that provide literacy and education assistance through members of our club,” says Club President JODY MORSE AL-SAIGH, New York Alpha. “This speaks to the faithfulness of our club members who are always willing to serve their community.”

While building fun and friendship, Pi Phis make a difference in the lives of thousands of children in communities across North America. For more than a century, Pi Phi sisters have committed themselves to creating a more literate and productive society. While our vision has never shifted, our chapters and alumnae clubs continue to find new ways to make an impact while inspiring sisters around the world.

Thanks to generous gifts to The Literacy Fund at Pi Beta Phi Foundation, all Read > Lead > Achieve initiatives – including Champions are Readers®, Fraternity Day of Service Signature Events, FDS500 grants, Local Impact Grants and more – are fully funded by our Foundation. Learn more at pibetaphi.org/foundation.