Gamma Eta’s Epsilon Colony, located at the University of Arkansas at Fort Smith, recently held a philanthropy project in the light of St. Patrick’s Day.

Gamma Eta Sorority, Inc. Epsilon Colony

The chapter’s local philanthropy is Prevention of Poverty, or what they craftily call POP!, and they also work side by side with The Community Service Clearing House and The Next Step Day Room.These lovely sisters had set up tabling around their campus in order to catch passersby for donations and also educate them on the BackPack Program.

What is the BackPack Program?

The BackPack Program ties with Feeding America and this program has been helping children with nutritional needs for 15 years. Today, more than 150 local food banks assemble bags of food for children and more than 230,000 bags are distributed every year.

Students from Southside High School

During the week of St. Patrick’s Day and the Chapter’s tabling, Jennifer Connell, the philanthropy chair, asked passing students to make a donation towards the program and some have told her that they were once recipients of the BackPack Program. Every donation made, the staff and students were given lion figurines, as per their mascot, and green bows, to avoid being pinched. The ladies also organized live music to be played that fitted the St. Patrick’s Day theme. The traditional Irish songs were played by a violinist, a violist, and a cellist and who are students from Southside High School. Over the course of their three day event, the lovely ladies raised $200 for the BackPack Program.

It may just seem like a few nickels to you, but to the ladies of Gamma Eta’s Epsilon Colony, your change was valuable. The change in your pocket became the change that helped a child in need.