Mid-Atlantic Region Chapter Programs
Tidewater Chapters Partners with Foodbank of Southeastern Virginia to Sponsor "Food & Fund Drive"
The Tidewater Chapters of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., hosted by the Norfolk, VA Chapter (Upsilon Omicron Omega), were delighted to sponsor a "Food & Fund Drive," collecting nearly one ton of food for the Foodbank of Southeastern Virginia.
Each geographic cluster of chapters of the Mid-Atlantic Region was tasked with developing a local service project. The Tidewater Cluster, comprised of 17 graduate and 8 undergraduate chapters across Hampton Roads (and outlying areas), the Eastern Shore and Northeastern North Carolina, selected the Foodbank of Southeastern Virginia, because hunger is a community issue that affects individuals from all walks of life and cannot be ignored.
Sorority members gathered in Norfolk in October, 2009 for a business session, as well as workshops and other activities. Each member was asked to bring two or more nonperishable food items or a monetary donation. The goal of the project was to amass 1,908 pounds of food, symbolizing the Sorority's founding year of 1908. A Foodbank representative was on-site to receive the donations, as well as offer additional information on the Foodbank programs.
Established in 1981, the Foodbank of Southeastern Virginia works to provide solutions to hunger and certain consequences of poverty in the community by acquiring and distributing food, clothing and related products to those in crisis in the community. It also provides community leadership and education on issues of hunger.
The Tidewater Chapters' partnership with the Foodbank of Southeastern Virginia seeks to accomplish the vision of the Sorority's leadership.
Northern Western Virginia Chapters Partners with Central Virginia Foodbank
"Enhancing Sisterly Participation" was the Mid-Atlantic Region's 2009 universal theme. With 309 members in attendance, the Northern Western Virginia Chapters held their annual meeting in Richmond, VA, in October 2009, hosted by the Richmond, VA Chapter (Rho Eta Omega).
Unlike previous meetings, a community service project was added to the program this year. The Chapters partnered with the Central Virginia Foodbank to perform their community service project by donating over three large barrels of canned and non-perishable food items.
The partnership with the Foodbank is in alignment with the vision of the Sorority's international president, Barbara A. McKinzie, and her administration's theme of ESP-Economics, Service and Partnerships.
Pictured (l to r): Nikki Adkins, Richmond VA Chapter President; Barbara Bellamy, Northern Western Virginia Cluster Coordinator; Maxine Black, former Mid-Atlantic Regional Director; Doris Asbury, Acting Mid-Atlantic Regional Director; Ruby B. Archie, Mid-Atlantic Regional Director; Lucille Piggott, former Mid-Atlantic Regional Director; and Marsha Lewis, Community Service Project Committee Chairman.
The Central Virginia Foodbank was founded in 1980 to help acquire and distribute food throughout the area. Since then, they have grown to include 31 counties and five cities in the Central Virginia region. Their mission is to "identify hunger needs and food sources and systematically work to acquire and distribute food...'that none shall go hungry' in Central Virginia."
Accepting the donations on behalf of the Foodbank was Reatha Smith. During her acceptance speech, Smith highlighted statistics of recipients of her organization's services: 50% of children live in poverty, 37% of adults are working poor and 13% of elderly people struggle to survive on fixed incomes. She also thanked Alpha Kappa Alpha's Northern Western Virginia Chapters for the overwhelming support.
Alexandria, VA Chapter Works with Young Black Males
Members of Phi Nu Omega Chapter in Alexandria, VA. are preparing young black males for the demands and challenges of the future by working with local middle school boys. With a commitment to serving the community, the Chapter partnered with the George Washington Middle School and the Xi Alpha Lambda Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. to present a program that focused on three of Alpha Kappa Alpha’s ESP International Program targets: (1) The Non-Traditional Entrepreneur; (2) The Economic Keys to Success; and (3) The Economic Growth of the Black Family.
George Washington Middle School Principal Boggan, Chapter VP-Program Committee Chairman Sharon Worthy and students
To drive home the message, presentations were made on the following topics:
It’s All about the Benjamins…A Supersized Life Requires Supersized Savings! – Presented by F. Douglass Lewis, Jr.,President, FDL Financial Services, Inc., Washington, DC;
From the Projects to the White House– Presented by Steven Nesmith, Esq., Partner,
Holland & Knight LLP, Washington, DC; and
Career Exploration & Going to College – Presented byAlpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., Xi Alpha Lambda Chapter, Prince William County, VA, and Iota Alpha Chapter, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA.
The principal of George Washington Middle School is AKA member Keisha Boggan.
Making a Difference in the Norfolk Community
Iota Omega Chapter’s ESP implementation, which is captured under Platform III – The Black Family – measures up to Alpha Kappa Alpha's resolve to "provide service to all mankind." Guided by AKA's service mission, the Chapter conducted an educational seminar with over 100 participants from local communities in attendance.
The seminar provided workshops that educated the community in money management, successful parenting, enhancing family relationships, the black male and developing healthy relationships with females, dressing for success, self esteem building for youth, playing fun activities based in math and science and understanding differences.
Not only did the attendees gain valuable information to assist in their development of self-sufficiency, some participants also won gifts! With donations from the community, the Chapter was able to provide weekend vacation packages, monetary gifts and various door prizes to individuals in attendance.
In the same spirit of service that marks this program, Iota Omega adopted six families within the community and assisted them in finding employment, resolving housing issues, mentoring the entire family and connecting them with community resources.
The Chapter has also coordinated two First Responder Service Programs for youth ages 11-17. Training was provided through the collaborative efforts of Norfolk’s American Red Cross, the International Association of Black Professional Fire Fighters and the Norfolk Police Department. (The FBI is planning to join this collaborative effort in fall 2008.) Trainees were taught: Understanding Disaster, How to Prepare for Disasters, Potential Causes for Disasters, How to Apply Disaster Training to Your House, CPR and Homeland Security. The two training sessions drew 40+ young participants.
All of the events conducted by Iota Omega Chapter Platform III Committee have drawn media attention from The Virginian-Pilot newspaper, Channel 10 News and Fox 43 News.