Organization Will Donate Food to 10,000 CPS Students and Support Mothers in Roseland Area
Over 9,200 Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated® (AKA) members will converge on Chicago for their national Leadership Seminar July 12-16. AKA is America’s oldest service organization founded by college-educated African-American women.
Under the theme “Pathways to SOAR: Expanding Your Leadership Potential,” the conference will develop and enhance lifelong leadership skills for members ranging from college students to professionals and retirees. AKA boasts an expected $1 million in spending power in the Chicagoland area through travel and tourism.
Under the leadership of International President and CEO Danette Anthony Reed, attendees will engage in four days of intensive leadership training and development.
“Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority members from around the country are excited to travel to the Windy City and take in everything Chicago offers,” states Anthony Reed.
In addition to engaging workshops, forums, certifications, and specialized trainings, members will enjoy Chicago’s world-class dining, shopping, and cultural arts offerings.
Service is at the heart of AKA’s mission. Several service projects will take place during the conference.
On Friday, July 14, 2023, the packing will be underway for 10,000 Chicago Public School students who will benefit from the Chicagoland Hunger Initiative Power Pack (CHIPP™), which provides weekend and holiday meals for children within local communities. Local school principals will pick up CHIPP food kits for CPS students and families experiencing food instability.
Saturday, July 15, 2023, AKA will also assemble and distribute “Love and Hug” bags which contain resources for new mothers, including diapers, changing pads, and baby wipes. The resources will go to Roseland Community Hospital and Family Focus in Chicago.
Chicago has been home to Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority’s headquarters since 1949 and has played a vital role in the sorority’s 115-year history. It is also home of members Lorraine Richardson Green, the organization’s second International President and first black woman to receive a master’s degree in Sociology from the University of Chicago, as well as the Honorable Julianna Stratton, who is the first black woman to serve as the Lt. Governor of the state of Illinois.
All the service projects, training, workshops and forums are designed to help members enhance their impact in the 1,1000 communities where the sorority operates. Effective local service delivery continues to be the organization’s hallmark and this Leadership Seminar is designed to give members the tools and resources to meet local needs,” states Anthony Reed.