Furman Panhellenic
Furman University - Greenville, South Carolina
Giving back is an important aspect of life at Furman and our Greek students are no different. Each chapter has one or more designated philanthropies that their organization supports nation-wide, as well as a collection of local charities. Throughout the year, they donate hundreds of volunteer hours and raise thousands of dollars for these organizations. You can find Greek students working on campus-wide service projects, like the Poinsett Project, Relay for Life, or the Special Olympics.
Circle of Sisterhood
Circle of Sisterhood in Panhellenic's philanthropy which was founded by Ginny Carroll in 2010 after she read the book Half the Sky. Circle of Sisterhood's mission is to leverage the collective influence of sorority women to raise financial resources for entities around the world that are removing educational barriers for girls and women facing poverty and oppression. Circle of Sisterhood's inspiring vision is to make education a reality for girls and women around the world. So far Circle of Sisterhood has supported girls in 16 countries and 4 continents through the help of 899 donors who have raised $374,000 total. There are currently 162 campuses involved in raising money for Circle of Sisterhood which has helped fund the building of 1 school in Senegal, Africa.
You can follow Circle of Sisterhood on Pinterest, Twitter at @cofs_foundation, Facebook at Circle of Sisterhood Foundation, and on YouTube at Circle of Sisterhood. For more information or to get involved please visitwww.circleofsisterhood.org/take-action.
Philanthropy
Alpha Delta Pi’s national philanthropy is the Ronald McDonald House Charities. Here at Furman, we are fortunate to be close to the Greenville House and we can spend our time volunteering at the house and getting to know the house that we support. On campus, we host an annual “Pi Run for Ronald” with the sisters of the Zeta Nu chapter from Clemson University. This run is a 3.14 mile run, or Pi Run, to raise awareness and to come together to raise money for such an important charity. Additionally, we host a 3-day event called Fall Fest, which includes events such as a pumpkin decorating contest, Pie-A-Pi, and a corn hole tournament. This is always such a fun week and an awesome way to get all of the other Greek organizations involved.
Our local philanthropy is Relay for Life. Since 2002, Alpha Delta Pi has paired up with the Relay team at Furman to help raise significant contributions on behalf of Furman. In addition to participating in fundraising through Furman, we send out fundraising letters and host a car-wash. Every year, we have been able to raise over $22,000. Everyone knows someone who has been affected by cancer and the American Cancer Society is something that Alpha Delta Pi holds close to our hearts.
Alpha Delta Pi
The Make-A-Wish Foundation is Chi Omega Fraternity's National Philanthropy. Since the start of our partnership, Chi Omegas have made a difference in many children's lives through volunteering time, talents, and dollars. The Make-A-Wish Foundation has honored Chi Omega for the incredible volunteer efforts of our members.
Chi Omega is extremely involved on and off campus. Each year, we are one of the smallest chapters to grant the wish of a child from South Carolina for the Make-A-Wish Foundation. We spend the year raising money through several fundraising events including a Sand Slam Volleyball tournament, Wings for Wishes, raffles,
and more! This year we are raising money for Luke, our Make-A-Wish child, to go to Disney World. Luke is a positive, and determined little boy and we are honored to serve him.
Chi Omega
The Gamma Xi Chapter of Delta Delta Delta at Furman has always had a unique passion service. As advocates for our national philanthropy, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, the ladies of Furman Tri Delta raised over $41,000 within the 2013-2014 school year alone, more than any previous year, to support the cancer treatments and research efforts of the hospital. St. Jude is the only pediatric cancer research center where no child is turned away from treatment due to a family's inability to pay. Delta Delta Delta nationally met our fundraising goal of 15 million dollars for the kids of St. Jude in not 5, but 3.5 years this past January 2014! Our chapter is able to give back to St. Jude largely in part of our three major fundraisers during the school year.
These include DHOP or Delta House of Pancakes, a late-night all-you-can-eat pancake buffet; Sincerely Yours, a letter writing campaign where our sisters send thousands of letter to their families and friends; and Triple Play, a campus-wide softball tournament!
In 2009, our chapter decided to adopt local organization to allow the members to volunteer within the Greenville community together, along with the fundraising efforts for St. Jude. The Frazee Dream Center is an after-school program in downtown Greenville focused on providing a safe and accommodating learning environment for underprivileged children. By visiting and mentoring throughout the year, our chapter supports Frazee and provides love and support to children in need.
Delta Delta Delta
Nationally, the Delta Gamma Foundation works to raise money and awareness for sight loss and preservation through its philanthropy Service for Sight. Here on Furman's campus, the Zeta Upsilon chapter of Delta Gamma uses Anchor Splash to fundraise and increase awareness about sight-related issues. Anchor Splash occurs every fall, with a few days of competition between all Greek organizations on campus. The final event is always Pool Games in the PAC's pool, highlighted by the Best Legs competition among fraternity men.
Delta Gammas have many opportunities to help the Greenville area's sight-related organizations. In the past, we have worked with the South Carolina School for the
Deaf and Blind, the Lion's Club, and the Juvenile
Diabetes Research Foundation. Additionally, Delta Gamma is working to get involved with the Service Dog Institute of Greenville and Surgeons for Sight. Recently, Delta Gamma has started the Golden Anchor program at The Woodlands at Furman. Through the Golden Anchor, Delta Gamma sisters are supporting, enjoying the company of, and helping out senior citizens in health care facilities.
Delta Gamma
The principle of philanthropy in Kappa Delta is to build confidence in women. Our first approach to establishing confidence is battling abuse. At the national level, KD supports Prevent Child Abuse America (PCAA). We raise awareness and funds for this organization through our annual Shamrock event, including a spaghetti dinner and 5k run. In addition to PCAA, a majority of our Shamrock funds are designated for the Julie Valentine Center (JVC). JVC is a local foundation dedicated to the diagnosis and treatment of abuse victims.
Our next approach to confidence is building mentoring relationships with young girls in the surrounding community. Nationally, Kappa Delta is closely tied with
Girl Scouts of the United States. At Furman, we develop friendships with local troops by hosting the girls on campus for cookie sales, campus tours, and anti-bullying workshops. Off campus, we volunteer at Headstart. The students at this after school program look forward to seeing the KD ladies each week to play games outside and hang out. Chapter members serve as role models to Scouts and Headstart students who may not otherwise have access to young women seeking a college degree.
Kappa Delta
Kappa's philanthropy is Reading is Fundamental, otherwise known as RIF. RIF is the largest children's literacy nonprofit in the US. They prepare and motivate children to read by delivering free books and literacy resources to those children and families who need them most. RIF's mission is to motivate young children to read by working with them, their parents, and community members to make reading a fun and beneficial part of everyday life. Their highest priority is reaching underserved children from birth to age 8.
RIF inspires children to be lifelong readers through the power of choice. They provide new, free books for children to choose from and make their own. The seeds of inspiration in these books have motivated children to
follow their dreams and achieve their potential. They truly believe that a book can indeed launch a life.
Whether in schools, homeless shelters, or community centers--wherever you find children--RIF volunteers (all 400,000+ of them) spend countless hours distributing books, staging reading motivation activities, and promoting the importance of literacy in their communities. RIF is generously supported by corporations, foundations, community organizations, and thousands of individuals.
Kappa holds an event every spring called Reading Is Key. It is at a local elementary school where Kappa brings books for the students and spends the afternoon reading and doing a relative activity with them.
Kappa Kappa Gamma
