The Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated® Phi Omega Omega Chapter has been very busy providing service to our community by way of working within the auspices of the sorority’s initiatives.
With the theme Soaring to Greater Heights of Service and Sisterhood, the 2022-2026 administration seeks to build upon Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority’s rich legacy of service by galvanizing our sisterhood to lead on the front lines of change, education, and advocacy.
This administration has six initiatives. Strengthen Our Sisterhood will serve as the administration’s “Foundation Initiative” as we strengthen our bonds to support our service mission. The remaining five initiatives will serve as the “Program Initiatives” which include: Empower Our Families, Build Our Economic Wealth, Enhance Our Environment, Advocate for Social Justice, and Uplift Our Local Community.
These initiatives are designed to improve the lives of those we serve. We work collaboratively to maximize our outreach on progressive endeavors.
The first half of 2023 has proven very successful for the Phi Omega Omega Chapter as we have embarked upon the work of our sorority. We began the year celebrating teachers at the schools in Clarendon County by delivering treats to show our appreciation and to say Happy New Year. Also In January, we hosted a Winter Coat and Apparel Giveaway at Liberty Hill A.M.E. Church in Summerton, SC.
In February, we participated in the Pink Goes Red for Heart Health by beginning a walking challenge. Also, in February we held another Winter Coat and Apparel Giveaway at Mt. Nebo Baptist Church in Alcolu, SC.
In early March, we met at J.C. Britton Park to conclude our February Walking Challenge for Heart Health with community Health Screenings by Hope Health, refreshments, and prizes for the winners of the challenge at an event entitled, March Forth. We awarded two deserving high school graduating seniors with scholarships in the Clarendon County School District.
During the month of April, Phi Omega Omega Chapter hosted a Blanket Service Project in observance of National Kidney month. The blankets were donated to the Fresenius Kidney Care Center in Manning, SC. Additionally, another service project was executed to support the South Atlantic Region Nursing Home Facilities. During this project, the members of Phi Omega Omega created bags with personal hygiene items for delivery to the various nursing homes in our county. The empower our families and enhance our environment committees collaborated to plant a tree at the Turbeville Children’s Home in Turbeville, SC. Trees were also planted at Dr. Rose Wilder Elementary School in Summerton, SC.
In May, we recognized the importance of Mental Health Awareness by presenting a Virtual Mental Health Forum via Zoom. We used our collective efforts to fight the stigma and to raise awareness related to depression, anxiety, and trauma.
During the month of June, we supported Black Dollar Days by wearing pink, spending green and buying black. We also sponsored a Baby/Toddler Contest as a fundraiser. The event was held a The Weldon in Manning, South Carolina.
During the month of July, the chapter and its members donated school items and/or our time participating in four Back To School Events. We collaborated with the Town of Summerton, the Town of Turbeville, New Zion (Linda Jackson’s Event), and East Coast Migrant Head Start Project Family Fun Day, (Paula Blackwell’s Event).
Our ongoing Youth Leadership Institute (YLI) is a youth-led and highly interactive leadership development program designed to empower and engage youth, ages 11-
13. In an effort to cultivate great leaders, YLI participants worked together, as a group, to decide upon the service project that they wanted to partake in this year. They chose to donate and deliver personal hygiene items to the residents of the Turbeville Children’s Home.
Another one of our ongoing programs is the Childhood Hunger Initiative Power Pack (AKA CHIPP ™ ) AKA CHIPP provides weekend and holiday meals for children within local communities and is targeted to be Alpha Kappa Alpha’s most ambitious childhood hunger program to date. Phi Omega Omega operated the AKACHIPP™ program at Dr. Rose Wilder Elementary School from October 2022 to May 2023. The program will restart at the Manning Elementary School for the 2023-24 school year.
The Sorority is presently on Summer Break and will resume normal activities in September 2023.