For this year only, Alpha Xi Delta has a different type of philanthropy for us to fulfill as they work to finding a new partnership to support going forward. This is what we have been challenged to do this year.

 

Supporting Students

Communities In Schools (CIS) reports that in the past year, an estimated three million students in the U.S. have gone “missing” from virtual school during the COVID-19 pandemic. CIS affiliates have cited the need to support students by hosting financial literacy, reading, and stress management events, and by delivering food, school supplies, and encouraging messages. (Source) Some ways to help support students:

 

• Host a Supply Drive for a Local School.
• Start a Fundraiser.
  • Make giving a little competitive and start a fundraiser! Get a team together with your coworkers or employees, sorority Sisters, neighbors, or friends and challenge yourselves. Can you raise enough to provide for a student? A whole class? A whole school?
• Volunteer Your Time.
  • Your time and talents are invaluable. One-to-one mentoring, tutoring and providing academic support are ways to make a positive impact.

 

Food Insecurity

In 2019, before the start of the pandemic, more than 35 million people, including nearly 11 million children, were food insecure. Feeding America projects that 45 million people, including 15 million children, may have experienced food insecurity in 2020. Recovery is not immediate with projections that 42 million people, including 13 million children, may experience food insecurity in 2021. (Source) Examples of ways to help include:

 

• Volunteer Your Time and Talents.
  • Sorting and packing. You can keep the shelves stocked by assembling boxes of food for distribution.
  • Assisting at mobile pantries, drive-thru pantries, and no-contact distributions.
  • Prepare food in a Hunger Relief Kitchen.
  • Delivering meals. (ex. Meals on Wheels)
• Volunteering From Home.
  • Hold a virtual food drive to raise funds for your local food bank.
  • Hold a traditional food drive to help keep their shelves stocked.
  • These can be traditional or themed around the most needed items, ex. Great Pasta Push, providing specific foods for Thanksgiving meals, etc.

 

Other Basic Needs

If a chapter or association identifies another pressing area of unmet basic needs, we recommend they discuss their preferred option with their Philanthropy Territory Director, National Council designee or a similar advisor to be vetted for suitability and proposed scope of impact. Examples of ways to help could include:

• Hosting basic supply drives.
• Support the National Diaper Bank Network.
• 1 in 4 women has struggled to purchase period products in the past year due to lack of income. Alliance for Period Supplies is a national organization working to ensure that individuals in need have access to essential period products required to participate fully in daily life.
• Socks and underwear are among the most requested, but least donated items at homeless shelters.