Community Service & Philanthropy:
Tri-delta takes part in numerous activities throughout the year in support our philanthropies. Our local philanthropy is the Potter’s House, which is a local coffee shop that was established as a safe and comfortable environment for college students. Our national philanthropy is St. Jude Children’s Hospital. During Delta Days, our biggest fundraiser, we host activities like sports tournaments, Battle of the Bands, and a late-night pancake breakfast. This year we raised over $5,000. Our chapter plans to deliver our donation to St. Jude’s in Memphis, as well as to visit the children who inspire us so much.
:: Rebecca Strain, Vice President of Standards
St. Jude Philanthropy
Giving back to our communities: Tri Delta's philanthropy efforts
Tri Delta’s chosen philanthropy is Children’s Cancer Charities. In conjunction with this effort, Tri Delta enjoys a partnership of the heart with St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Tri Delta’s philanthropy allows chapters and members to choose to support a local project like children’s hospital or a cancer camp and to support the efforts of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Whatever the choice, Tri Deltas are joining together to offer financial and volunteer contributions to the research and treatment of children with cancer. Together Tri Delta is making a difference.History
Tri Delta's commitment to raising funds for worthy causes goes back many years. War related service projects and scholarships were among the earliest expressions of that commitment. In 1916, the Student Loans Fund was established. Then World War I began and Tri Delta's international war service included two major projects. The Fraternity supported a rest and recreation center in Tours, France started by the American Y.W.C.A. at the request of the French government. Tri Delta also helped a reconstruction school in Guny, France by sending a check to the American Committee for Devastated France which would supply a heating plant and material comforts. The final disposition of the WWI service project money was made by the 1928 Convention. Tri Delta sent $2500 to endow a room in the proposed new American dormitory in the Cite Universitaire of Paris where an inscription was placed on the door of room 248.In 1942, Tri Delta's continued to focus its altruism abroad in support of the United China relief, a program dedicated to the education and preservation of democracy. The Fraternity also offered aid to the Russian War Relief by contributing $1000 in order to help defray the cost of a letter exchange program between the women of North America and Russia.
In addition to the international service projects, the Fraternity created the General War Service Scholarship Fund at the beginning of WWII. Competitions for its awards would be promoted on all campuses where Tri Delta had chapters. At the conclusion of the war, the name of Tri Delta's philanthropy was changed to Tri Delta Service Projects. The General Fund became the National Fund in 1963 and then in 1980 the National Scholarship Awards were renamed to the Zoe Gore Perrin Scholarships in recognition of Zoe's long dedication to Service Projects.
Children’s Cancer Charities
Children's Cancer Charities encompasses a wide array of charitable organizations. Children’s Cancer Charities is not an organization itself but it represents the collective effort of Tri Delta’s members and chapters across the United States and Canada who continue to donate goods, volunteer time and host fund-raisers for the research and treatment of children with cancer.As early as 1970, interest was expressed in a national philanthropy that would combine fundraising and volunteer work. It was intended that this national philanthropy not interfere with fundraising for scholarships, and that it have both local and national importance. A third stipulation was that the chosen philanthropy be one that was not already supported by another NPC group. Research prior to the 1974 Convention found greatest interest in children, hospitals, and cancer. The recommendations to that Convention were to adopt a philanthropy program that emphasized pediatric oncology and hematology, and to encourage participation in a national Sleighbell Luncheon on the first Tuesday of December. This national event was renamed Sleighbell Day in 1976 and then in 1990, the entire philanthropy program was renamed Children's Cancer Charities.
Since 1974, Tri Deltas have raised more than $14 million in support of children's cancer hospitals, research facilities and cancer camps.