Through shaved heads and shoe sales, Greek organizations Alpha Omicron Pi (AOII) and Theta Chi have been finding creative ways to fundraise for charity organizations over the past few weeks.
AOII raised close to $1,500 at a charity shoe sale at the Campus Center yesterday, where they offered over 250 pairs of Jasmine Sola shoes of all styles and sizes at bargain prices. With over 100 pairs of shoes still to sell, the sorority hopes to raise another $1,000 dollars at the second day of the event from 12:00 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. today.
All proceeds from the fundraiser will go to Dress for Success Boston, an organization that provides business clothes and accessories for women with low incomes in order to foster confidence for job interviews and in the workplace.
Sophomore Lisa Haubenstock, the philanthropy chair of AOII, said that she contacted Dress for Success Boston after working with a branch of the organization in her hometown.
"A local Jasmine Sola [store] had recently donated 250 shoes to Dress for Success [Boston], but there wasn't much they could do with them because they weren't interview-style shoes," she said. "They asked if we could help them out by selling the shoes and donating the proceeds."
The shoes are being sold for $20 a pair, $30 for two pairs and $10 for flip flops.
"Every single dollar raised goes directly to [Dress for Success], because there was no cost to them or to us," Haubenstock said.
Theta Chi also made creative use of the campus center this Saturday when brothers volunteered to shave their head for every $100 raised to benefit women's heart disease.
The event was part of the fraternity's ongoing efforts over the past three weeks to raise money for the American Heart Association campaign "Go Red for Women." The fraternity has been selling Red Dress pins at Carmichael Dining Hall and collecting donations from students, friends and family members.
"All the money we raise goes straight towards women's heart disease prevention, research and care," senior Anish Agarwal, a member of the Theta Chi Philanthropy Committee, said.
Agarwal, who has headed the fraternity's annual fundraiser for the past two years, said that he proposed the idea of the head-shaving event to the brotherhood and asked who would be willing to participate.
"A few of the guys with shorter hair said they would do it at first, and then some guys with longer hair said they would too," he said. "We set it up so that the guy with the shortest hair would shave after the first $100 and the guys with the longer hair after four or five hundred."
The event raised over $500, he said, and five brothers fulfilled their pledge to shave their heads.
The brothers' fundraising efforts have raised over $2,500 total so far this year, and they hope to raise more this week, according to junior Jonah Peppiatt, also a member of the Theta Chi Philanthropy Committee. Peppiatt said the brothers will continue to sell Red Dress pins until spring break.
Both AOII and Theta Chi plan to continue long-standing relationships with the charity organizations.
Sophomore and AOII member Jessica Awerman said that AOII is looking into doing more charity work with Dress for Success Boston. She said that many of the sisters are looking into training to be personal shoppers for the organization.
"Personal shoppers help the women who come in pick out clothes so they can look their best for the interviews," she said.
Awerman said that she thinks Dress for Success is a very unique and practical organization. "I think it's a great idea because so many people have business clothes and accessories that they can donate to help other women," she said.
Agarwal said that Theta Chi began donating to the American Heart Association in 2003 when Theta Chi brother Ben Rubinstein (LA '05) lost his father to heart disease. By donating to the "Go Red for Women" campaign, Agarwal explained, the fraternity hopes to combat stereotypes about Greek life and demonstrate its commitment to helping people and women, specifically.
"It's a cause that means a lot to this brotherhood in a general sense, but also on a personal level. It's something we definitely take pride in," he said.
Peppiatt said that the fraternity aims to increase the amount of money they donate to the organization each year. They have already surpassed their total from last year, he said.
"Last year we raised $2,200 and we got a matching grant from The Silver Family Foundation that made it $4,400, which was great," he said.
Agarwal said that the grant last year was set up through a friend of one of the brothers, and they are looking for an organization to match their fundraising amount this year.
Sophomore and Public Relations Chair for the Inter-Greek Council Jessica Lynn Snow said that she was excited about the success of the AOII and Theta Chi fundraisers.
"Every single chapter on this campus puts a lot of time into philanthropy and people on campus should look for out it," she said.
