4 minute read
Read > Lead > Achieve
Celebrating Read > Lead > Achieve Month in Your Community
Every September, Pi Beta Phi celebrates Read > Lead > Achieve ® Month. All Pi Phis are encouraged to participate, donate and advocate for literacy through our reading initiatives, both during Read > Lead > Achieve Month and all year long. There are countless ways you can celebrate, and we hope you observe the month in a way that both benefits your community and is meaningful for you and your sisters. Are you a member outside a club area? Grab a fellow Pi Phi sister and put together an event in your community or virtually. Below are five ideas to get you started.
1. BECOME A LITERACY ADVOCATE IN YOUR OWN COMMUNITY
Attend school board and parent/teacher association meetings or use time at home to research ways to advocate in your community. Submit a letter to the editor of your local paper, write to your Member of Congress, use social media to reach elected officials or attend town hall meetings to bring the discussion to local or state officials.
2. APPLY FOR AN FDS500 GRANT
Through Pi Beta Phi Foundation’s FDS500 program, the Fraternity awards grants to recipient groups nominated by chapters and clubs. The grants are used to purchase up to $1,000 worth of books from First Book ® , which are then given to children in need. Grant nominations are open at pibetaphi.org/literacy from September 1-15, 2022.
3. HOST A PHILANTHROPY EVENT
Philanthropy events can be as simple as partnering with a school or literacy program to host a book or school supply drive or creating a neighborhood library for local children. They can also be more knowledge-based events, such as spelling bees, trivia nights or speed reading. If you can’t gather with your sisters to host a traditional book drive, work with a library, school or organization in your community to make an online wish list, then send them the donated books you receive. Consider the following event ideas from chapters and clubs as inspiration for future event ideas.
4. MAKE A GIFT TO THE LITERACY FUND
Gifts to The Literacy Fund at Pi Beta Phi Foundation make all Read > Lead > Achieve initiatives possible—from Champions are Readers® and the FDS500 grant program to Fraternity Day of Service Signature Events. Any gift, no matter the amount, will make a difference by helping our members share the lifelong love of reading with a child. Consider donating or asking friends and family to make a gift as well.
5. VOLUNTEER IN YOUR COMMUNITY
To be a servant leader, it’s important to work with our communities. Ask community organizations what they need from Pi Phi and how we can help meet their needs. If they have their own events or fundraisers, see how you can get involved and help promote their work on social media. Work in partnership with your community leaders to provide more support for libraries, schools and reading programs.
Members of Illinois Eta at the chapter's Breakfast for Champions event.
The Illinois Eta Chapter hosted its annual Breakfast for Champions spring philanthropy event. This event raised more than $2,500, and the chapter collected over 1,500 books.
Members of the Memphis, Tennessee, Alumnae Club at the club's Bowling and Books event.
The Memphis, Tennessee, Alumnae Club hosted a Bowling and Books event during Read > Lead > Achieve Month where sisters and friends could gather together, and books were collected for a local elementary school.
Members of the New York City-Manhattan Alumnae Club at their philanthropy event with Story Pirates Changemakers.
The New York City–Manhattan, New York, Alumnae Club partners with Story Pirate to read and review stories submitted from all types of classrooms. A handwritten note is sent back to every student to encourage their literacy skills and provide genuine feedback. Club members have encouraged and advocated for the importance of literacy via these notes to more than 200 kid authors.
