The Gamma Phi Chapter of Kappa Kappa Gamma abides by Kappa’s national “1-2-3 Philanthropy Model”. This means that we focus our philanthropic and community service outreach on the following three areas:
- We support our family, the Kappa Kappa Gamma Foundation, which anonymously provides money to Kappas in need during times of crisis.
- We support local campus and community service projects in the following ways:
- We attend other fraternities’/sororities’ philanthropy and community service events
- We participate in programs like Habitat for Humanity and other Panhellenic initiatives
- We’re involved in community service day during homecoming
- We build teams and fundraise for Relay for Life
- Each active member contributes at least 3 hours to community service each semester
- We join Kappas across the country to support Reading is Fundamental (RIF), our national philanthropy.
As a chapter we:
- Hold book drives
- Create relationships with elementary and middle school students at West Dallas
- Community School to promote higher education
- Hold bake sales to raise awareness and donations
Locally, our chapter supports the “1-2-3 Philanthropy Model” as well. We support the following three Philanthropies:
- Our local cause is the West Dallas Community School, a private Dallas institution (K-8th grade) that provides quality education to academically gifted, inner-city children.
- Each year we give these students and their mentors a guided tour of SMU. The goal is to encourage and promote educational endeavors.
- Our national cause is Reading is Fundamental (RIF).
- Each year we hold book drives and in 2008 we participated in an Alumni RIF event. In 2009, the proceeds of our Spring Philanthropy, “mothers and daughters learn to cook” also benefitted RIF.
- Our international cause is the Ugandan American Partnership Organization (UAPO), a non-profit organization that Brittany Merril (SMU Kappa alum ’06) founded!
Events which benefit the UAPO include:
- The “Kappa Klassic Dad’s Weekend Golf Tournament”, which is held every other year during Kappa Dads’ weekend. Last year we were able to raise $30,000 with this event; the proceeds of which went to help build an orphanage and provide medical supplies for Ugandan children.
- Kappacino Kafé, our winter philanthropy event, which is held annually.
- Philanthropy Day, which takes place during recruitment week benefits Ugandan widows of the UAPO’s Akola Project. Using their hand-made beads from recycled paper, we allow the potential new members to assemble necklaces that our newest pledge class then sells across campus.
