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Delta Sigma Theta Sorority
Incorporated, Westchester Alumnae Chapter is committed
to enriching the lives of those in the Westchester
community. As part of its mission, the Sorority
has instituted a number of programs serving the
needs of youth, adults, and seniors.
Toast to Spring Scholarship Brunch
The Toast to Spring Scholarship Brunch is held annually
and has become one of the chapter's signature events.
Funds raised from generous contributions assist
us in awarding scholarships to exceptional high
school seniors pursuing a college degree.
Mentoring
WAC administers three mentoring programs for young
girls: Dr. Betty Shabazz Delta Academy, Delta GEMS,
and Graham Windham. The programs reach girls from
ages eight to eighteen, and meet on a monthly basis.
Activities are age appropriate and are designed
to empower these young ladies to become future community
leaders. They include self-esteem dialogues, workshops,
visits to local museums, Kwanzaa celebrations, career
and financial planning conferences, and college
preparatory workshops. Each group also participates
in at least two public service activities annually,
such as feeding the homeless, visiting senior centers
and toy drives.
"GO RED" Heart Disease Awareness
Campaign
As part of the Sorority’s national agenda
to promote health and wellness, WAC has implemented
several heart disease awareness and prevention programs.
These programs are a part of the Sorority’s
partnership with the American Heart Association,
which calls on Deltas nationwide to educate the
community about the number one killer of African
American women. In February 2007 Westchester Alumnae
Chapter was featured in the American Heart Association’s
“Go Red” advertising campaign; copies
of the campaign were featured in local newspaper
supplements and in The Westchester magazine.
Voter Education & Empowerment
WAC regularly registers voters throughout the county
at local churches, supermarkets and shopping areas.
Additionally, sample voting machines are utilized
to acquaint first time voters with the balloting
process. Our political involvement also includes
an emphasis to "Get Out the Vote” during
major elections. As part of this effort, WAC collaborates
with other non-partisan organizations and sets up
phone banks designed to reach registered voters
on Election Day to remind them to exercise their
right to vote.
The Arts
Westchester Alumnae Chapter is a proud supporter
of the arts and collaborates with area museums,
bookstores, libraries and art institutions to promote
and exhibit the works of new authors, artists, and
performers. Visitors to the Greenburgh Town Hall
can view African American artists at the Delta Art
Gallery. WAC also hosts opening day film screenings
and theater parties for our members and guests to
encourage patronage of movies and plays with positive
African American representation. During the past
two years, we have supported the Broadway productions
of The Color Purple and August Wilson’s Radio
Golf as well as film screenings of Tyler Perry’s
Madea’s Family Reunion and Daddy’s Little
Girls, Will Smith’s The Pursuit of Happyness
and Spike Lee’s The Inside Man.
KINGS OF THE KITCHEN
This benefit features the culinary skills of men
from the NY Metropolitan area, who prepare their
tastiest dish for the public to sample. Proceeds
generated from the event are used to support the
Sorority’s national public service initiatives.
In 2006, nearly $3,000 was raised and donated to
two families displaced to Westchester County as
a result of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. The 2007
Kings of the Kitchen will focus attention on Delta
Sigma Theta’s international awareness initiative
against the genocide and violence of women and girls
in Darfur, Sudan. |
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