Kids Learn and Love to Read with the Help of Pi Beta Phi

Pi Beta Phi Fraternity for Women has chapters at many universities across the nation. While they are individually unique, they have one common goal and that is to promote literacy. For the past 100 years, Pi Phi has been a pioneer in service and philanthropy, especially in the area of education and literacy. Throughout the year, the women of Pi Phi engage in numerous opportunities where they can make a difference in a child’s life. 

Arrow in the Arctic is Pi Phi’s Canadian Philanthropy. It supports literacy in numerous libraries in the northern Canadian library system. Funds are raised to purchase books and extend libraries to rural parts of Canada. A book drive is continuously going on in many chapters of Pi Phi across the nation so that previously owned books can be sent to the libraries as well. 

Champions are Readers (CAR) is a month long enrichment program for third grade elementary students. Each elementary school chosen is local to the chapter and the women of Pi Phi go to the school a couple times a week during the month to help the kids learn to read and encourage daily reading habits.

“CAR is my favorite philanthropic event of Pi Phi,” said Katy Usie, a Pi Phi at Arizona State University. “It’s important to have that one on one time with the kids to improve their reading skills and it’s also very humbling to get to help out. When the kids improve after only a couple of weeks, you know you’ve made a difference in their education and their lives.”

Pi Phi also has recently partnered with First Book, an international nonprofit organization which aims to give children from low-income families the opportunity to read and own books. Since the beginning of the partnership, Pi Phi and First Book have donated $1 million to the support the mission of fighting illiteracy. 

Fraternity Day of Service of Pi Beta Phi is held in the beginning of March in honor of Dr. Seuss’ birthday. Pi Phi sponsors a fraternity wide event to help individual chapters serve their communities by promoting literacy awareness and fundraising. 

“We went to a library in the valley last year and held an event there,” said Megan Feith, a member of Pi Phi at Arizona State University. “Some people dressed in Dr. Seuss hats and we had different stations with books and crafts and coloring to get the kids engaged. They had a great time and we helped them enjoy reading and that was what was so important about the event.”

Individual chapters and alumnae organizations are asked to share their stories of literacy on the Read.Lead.Achieve Facebook page to spread awareness throughout the community and ideas to different members of Pi Phi.

There are many ways for people to make a difference and help Pi Phi combat illiteracy. The Literacy Fund is administered by the Pi Beta Phi Foundation and the donations received helps Pi Phi’s strong organization of 140,000 women, come together and promote literacy in a strategic and successful way.

Many people take for granted how important literacy is. To have a successful job and an independent lifestyle, it’s crucial to know how to read. Take a stand now for the people and kids who can’t by donating to organizations such as Pi Phi.

Members of Pi Phi at ASU on Fraternity Day of Service 

 

Warming Up During Cooler Weather

November first kicks off the holiday season with the return of the red holiday Starbucks cups. Arizona temperatures have been dropping lately and has students at the ASU downtown Phoenix campus looking for ways to keep warm. The Starbucks on Taylor Street in the middle of campus has seen a growth in the amount of hot beverage sales. With the winter season upon us, the new holiday beverages are now available to get people into the holiday spirit.

“I have been getting iced coffees all year at Starbucks,” said Melissa Rauch, a student at the downtown ASU campus. “But lately it’s been freezing especially in the morning when I have class so I’ve been coming to get hot coffees now that they have their Christmas blends and winter choices like a Peppermint Mocha and Gingerbread Latte. It’s nice that there’s more choices and it keeps me nice and toasty at 8 a.m.”

The baristas have been noticing an increasing in hot drink sales as well.

“A lot of people have been getting hotter drinks now that the weather is colder,” said Eneida Shqalsi, a barista at the Starbucks on Taylor Street. “Everyone seems to be wanting that Starbucks Christmas cheer in a cup!”

That cheer may also come from the holiday decorated coffee shop vibe as well. They have a decorated Christmas tree that sits on top of the stands that hold the holiday products such as the Starbucks Christmas Blend and holiday themed coffee mugs. The customers are dressed in their winter best including scarves and boots. And those red cups, well they’re everywhere.

Melissa Rauch with her GingerBread Latte

Barista Eneida Shqalsi

A Home at Maggie’s Place

“One Community, Many Homes”

An ASU communications professor decided to have an assignment where his students could reach out to the community. Shantel Sojka, a junior at ASU, visited Maggie’s Place which provides houses of hospitality in Arizona and Ohio for expectant mothers. According to Maggie’s Place website, the houses provide for immediate physical and emotional needs of our guests including shelter, food, clothing, and a supportive community and provides a safe environment for them to live in while they develop the skills they need to live independently. 

Shantel and five others from her Small Group Communications class visited the Elizabeth House of Maggie’s Place in Tempe on October 22, 2012. The group bought ingredients and cooked a dinner composed of lasagna, salad, garlic bread and brownies for the women. They sat around the table in the kitchen getting to know the women and how they deal with their life struggles. 

“It made me thankful to have the family that I have because those women don’t have that kind of support system and that’s why they’re there,” Shantel said. “But I think our professor had a good idea in his mind when assigning this project. It’s was good to give back to the community and understand these women and the lifestyle they have to live. It humbles you.”

Currently, Maggie’s Places owns three houses in the Phoenix area and one in Cleveland, Ohio. The homes accommodate six to eight women who can come at any point during their pregnancy and stay up to six months after the birth of their infant. While they stay there, the expectant or new mothers have the resources they need including prenatal care, educational opportunities, health insurance, and low cost housing. 

“Because of Maggie’s Place, I have a place where I can be safe and figure out my future,” said a mom who was a guest a Maggie’s place, according to their website. 

Maggie’s Place hosts an annual Christmas party on December 21. Maggie’s Place is always in need of volunteers to purchase and wrap gifts and buy and cook food to help make the party a success. The party is filled with games and activities for the children and a surprise visit from Santa as well. The alumnae, moms, and children of Maggie’s Place give a wish list of three items they need and would like to have. Last Christmas, Maggie’s House gave away gifts for 400 people which amounted to 145 families. There are plenty of ways to make a difference this Christmas for the people of Maggie’s House.

 

Volunteering throughout the year is always encouraged as well whether that’s donating to Maggie’s Thrift, running in the Miracle of Motherhood Event, or cooking a meal for a house like Shantel and her classmates. 

The holidays are around the corner, keep finding ways to give back to your community! 

 

The Goals Fish board at the Elizabeth House to encourage the women to achieve their goals. 

 Elizabeth showing Shantel and her group the tree with all the infants names who have lived in the house.