The Mu Gamma Omega Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated® announced Friday that it made a significant contribution to fight childhood hunger in St. Croix by donating over 200 Childhood Hunger Initiative Power Packs (CHIPP™) to students at Ricardo Richards Elementary School on January 18.
In line with the Sorority's national program to Empower Our Families, the CHIPP™ initiative represents Alpha Kappa Alpha’s most ambitious childhood hunger program. The power packs, filled with various nutritional food items, were generously contributed by the community during a recent drive at Cost U Less on St. Croix.
Desiree T. Ross, President of the Mu Gamma Omega Chapter, highlighted the critical need for this donation, referencing the alarming statistics in the 2023 Kids Count USVI Databook released by the Community Foundation of the Virgin Islands. With 33 percent of children in the USVI living in poverty and a 39 percent increase in child maltreatment cases in 2022, Ms. Ross underscored the importance of supporting student nutrition, especially outside of school lunch programs. The Chapter said it plans to extend the CHIPP™ initiative to more schools.
The donation event is part of the Mu Gamma Omega Chapter's initiatives to commemorate Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc.'s 116th Founders’ Day and the Martin Luther King Day of Service. Chapter members participated in several community service activities, including the annual Martin Luther King, Jr. march, hosting a luncheon at Flamboyant Senior Residential Home, and attending a worship service at St. Luke AME Church.
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