Kappa Delta Sorority is taking up collections of books and toys for the younger victims of this disaster. Here is their press release that I received yesterday as a President on one of the Alumnae Associations. Our national president suffered a lot of damage as she lives in Hattiesburg
Debbi in SO CA
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Kappa Delta Sorority Launches National Toy Drive for Young Victims of Hurricane Katrina
MEMPHIS, TN, September 2, 2005?Kappa Delta Sorority® is leading the nation in gathering toys, games, books and clothing for children who have been affected by hurricane Katrina. ?We cannot forget these youngest victims of Katrina,? says Bonnie Purvis Warren, Kappa Delta?s National President and Hattiesburg, Mississippi resident. ?Their lives have been turned upside down. Many are displaced and have no homes or possessions left. Some schools are closed for weeks or months. We are doing what we can to make their lives as normal as possible.?
The campaign ? Kids Need to Be Kids ? addresses the emotional needs of young victims. While many other organizations like the Red Cross are working to meet the basic needs of hurricane victims, such as drinking water, food and temporary housing, Kappa Delta is providing comfort and support to those children whose lives are in chaos. Kappa Delta is encouraging individuals, businesses and organizations to send new and gently used toys, games, books and clothing to its national headquarters at 3205 Players Lane, Memphis, TN 38125. Monetary donations are also being accepted at the address above or by visiting
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anytime after September 5, 2005. Items will be sent to churches and organizations such as the Boys and Girls Clubs, Girl Scouts and evacuee centers in the areas most affected by Katrina by mobilizing a broad-based network of Kappa Deltas in Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida.
?This is a natural progression of the sorority?s strong commitment to children in need,? says Melanie Schild, Kappa Delta?s executive director. ?A toy for a young child or a pair of jeans for a teenager can help to boost the spirits of those who have lost everything. We are hoping to make the lives of children a little brighter while their parents decide what to do next.? Kappa Delta, a long-time supporter of Prevent Child Abuse America, sees this campaign as a way to combat stress and strengthen families. Sarah McElwee, a Kappa Delta in Natchitoches, Louisiana and a social worker in Sabine parish, says, ?There are so many refugees and school children that we are doing crisis debriefing with. They are traumatized as are their families.? Kappa Delta encourages you to join in helping make a difference in the life of a child.
Kappa Delta will continue its efforts on behalf of children for the holidays and beyond by collecting Halloween costumes for displaced children and toys and games for Christmas. With the slogan, ?Every girl deserves to be a princess. Every boy should feel like a hero,? the sorority will encourage members and other individuals to send princess, Superman and other costumes to make Halloween special for kids in need.
With 15 collegiate chapters, 37 alumnae associations, and over 14,500 members (including Louisiana Governor Kathleen Babineaux Blanco, Tricia Lott, the wife of Senator Trent Lott, and Marsha Barbour, the wife of Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour) in the states of Alabama, Louisiana and Mississippi, Kappa Delta has strong connections in the areas affected by Katrina. For more information on the Kids Need to Be Kids campaign, contact Kappa Delta at (800) 536-1897. Or check out the official Web site at
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Kappa Delta Sorority was founded in 1897 in Farmville, Virginia. It has over 188,000 members, 206 chartered collegiate chapters and 489 chartered alumnae associations nationwide. Kappa Delta is active in a number of philanthropic causes. It has given over $8 million to the prevention of child abuse. In 1998 Kappa Delta Sorority entered into a partnership with the Girl Scouts of the U.S.A. to provide mentoring and funding to young girls across the country. Kappa Delta has created Stand Up! Stand Out!, a program that helps college women stand up against peer pressure. It also created ?Setting the PACE,? which encourages members to become their best selves, and the KD Edge, a personal and career development program. Its national headquarters is in Memphis, Tennessee.