Programs and Projects

The Richland County Alumnae Chapter has continuously structured its community and public service programs to fit the needs of the local community.

Dr. Betty Shabazz Delta Academy
The Delta Academy is designed to prepare young ladies between the ages of 11-14 for full participation as leaders in the 21st Century. The focus of the Academy is to encourage and assist the young ladies in pursing education and ultimately careers in math, science and technology. Chapter members serve as mentors to 15 young ladies at Dent Middle School. Sessions are held on the first Saturday of each month from 9 am to 12 noon and include activities that promote the principles of Sisterhood, Scholarship and Service Learning. Local outings to cultural events are also provided.


Mother & Daughter Relationships Conference
This is an interactive conference whose purpose is to bridge the communication between mothers and daughters by encouraging constructive parent-child dialogue. Workshops are conducted on peer pressure, puberty, drugs and alcohol, teen pregnancy, personal hygiene, self-esteem, personal responsibility, careers, etc. The day includes morning and afternoon sessions, continental breakfast and lunch and keynote speakers.

Delta GEMS (Growing and Empowering Myself Successfully
Our Delta GEMS program provides tools that enable girls at W.J. Keenan High School, the ability to sharpen and enhance their skills so that they will be better equipped to achieve high levels of academic success.  As well, the GEMS creates compassionate, caring, and community minded young women by actively involving them in service learning and community service opportunities.

May Week
This is a period in May of each year when scholastic achievements, educational opportunities and encouragement of higher scholarship is recognized. During the public May week program, the chapter awards annual scholarships to needy students and recognizes the scholastic achievements of middle school students and the Delta Academy participants.

International Day of Service
To help stop the spread of the HIV/AIDS disease, on the second Saturday of March, Delta Chapters throughout the world perform services for the same cause. In Columbia, programs are created to promote HIV/AIDS awareness, education and direct services for persons who are suffering from the disease. Our local events are co-sponsored by surrounding Delta chapters and local agencies in the Columbia area.

Voter Registration
The chapter collaborates with other Greek Organizations and local organizations to register citizens to vote.

Political Forums
The chapter co-sponsors with the local Delta chapters, a political issues forum whose purpose is to allow citizens to meet with politicians and discuss and develop strategies concerning the political issues that are relevant to our community.

Delta Days at the State Capital
Deltas meet at the State Capital to become informed about political issues and the impact that legislature has on human welfare. Members interact and dialogue with Legislatures on a number of issues.

Lutheran Family Services
To assist the Lutheran Family Services with the Somali Bantu Resettlement of refugees into Richland County, the chapter, in conjunction with Allen University, sponsored a charity drive. Many types of in-kind donations were collected. The chapter is dedicated to participating in a number of service projects to help make life better for our Somali friends such as; tutoring, providing transportation, registering children at school, setting up apartments for families, etc. Chapter members donated school supplies and toiletries to offset items purchased by the Program Planning & Development Committee for Lutheran Family Services (LFS). LFS is currently assisting seven (7) Somali Bantu refugee families and approximately 50 Burmese refugee families living in the Columbia area. There are approximately 100 children being served.

The chapter additionally addresses community needs through interaction with the following efforts:

Habitat for Humanity
Thanksgiving Projects for the Needy
Families Helping Families
Breast Cancer Walk
Project Hope

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