Chapter rises past stereotypes to impact community
Thanks to film and television, coupled with real life events, living next door to a fraternity house is not typically at the top of the list for community members, businesses or organizations.
Though, the Alpha-Omega Zeta of Lambda Chi Alpha at Ohio University is doing their best to break that stereotype.
“Previously, there was another fraternity in the house a few years ago,” said Melissa Wales, executive director of United Campus Ministry at Ohio University, “and it was a disastrous situation.”
But when UCM intern Aleksandra Tyler reached out to their new neighbors, the men of Alpha-Omega stepped up to volunteer at over 20 meals and contributed a $1,000 donation and 400 pounds of food to help fund further work.
“It was important to us because we wanted to find a local cause to give back to,” said Joel Levis, president of the Alpha-Omega chapter.
“Before we partnered with UCM we volunteered our time at a food bank about 45 minutes away. It was a great cause but it wasn’t in our immediate area, we wanted to shift our focus closer to home. It was important to give back to the people immediately around us,” he added.
The chapter and UCM, a non-profit interfaith campus ministry, who helps provide two meals a week to the struggling and food insecure Appalachia Ohio area, soon became a perfect partnership.
“These free meals are really important to southeastern Ohio,” said Tyler, “with high rates of food insecurity, our organization is really critical to meeting those needs.”
“The members of Lambda Chi at OU were always extremely helpful, respectful and flexible to work with and we think this partnership is one that will benefit both organizations for years to come.” said Wales.
Being able to see first hand the lives they were affecting, whether from their monetary donations or actually volunteering and serving meals at the kitchen, the impact was being made right outside their front door.
“We hope this can be a partnership that will go on well after we all graduate,” said Levis. “We’d like this to become a tradition. This semester we’re trying to put on an additional philanthropy event and we’re putting more effort into trying to boost donations during our spring philanthropy event to benefit UCM.”
“We are grateful to have Lambda Chi at OU as our neighbor and look forward to continued collaboration to benefit the campus and our community,” said Wales.
“In addition, what I really appreciated was, it was just really great to have them turn to their next door neighbor and do their philanthropy at the local level for a community that needs it.”
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