National Programs and Partnerships Overview

With its aim to enhance the quality of life within the National Programs and Partnerships Overview, Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc. provides service to the community through its national programs. Our national programs aim to address the concerns of our society at large. Nationally, the facts are evident:

The vast majority of residents live below the federal poverty level
Nearly three-fourths of families are headed by women
Teen pregnancy rates continue to escalate
40% of adults have not completed high school, severely limiting their employment opportunities and ability to support a family.

These stresses can, in turn, affect the level of gang activity, crime, and violence. Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc. will focus on the following five programs:

Operation BigBookBag

Operation BigBookBag is a program designed to address the needs, challenges and issues that face school-aged children who are educationally at-risk, in local homeless shelters and extended-care hospitals and facilities. Through this program, chapters and members collect and donate educational materials, equipment and school supplies.

Our Goals:

Provide quick and easy access to reference materials and other studying aids and tools that will help students with educational endeavors.
Equip students with the means of completing their homework assignments in effort to keep them current and up to date.
Assist shelters, youth centers, schools and hospitals in their efforts to meet some of the educational needs of children and young adults housed at their facilities.

Operation BigBookBag was established in 1996 by the late Dr. LaRona J. Morris, 18th International Grand Basileus. It was established in partnership with the Ancient Egyptian Arabic Order, Nobles Mystic Shrine, Inc. (Shriners). The program has expanded in recent years to focus on exposing students to STEM curriculum and careers, and a refocus on tutoring support and mentoring programs. Programs can be held by chapters all year long with the back-to-school supply give-away held every August and January of the school year.

Project CRADLE Care

Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority’s Project CRADLE Care is one of our essential programs designed raise awareness of disparate maternal and infant health outcomes Black women endure through community outreach, advocacy, education, and implicit bias training. In so doing, we aim to mitigate outcome and life-course disparities in our communities.

Background: Black women are twelve times more likely to die from pregnancy and delivery complications in some parts of our country. This is a problem regardless of her educational level, socioeconomic status, health insurance coverage, proximity to health care services, marital status, or other health behaviors. In fact, American Black women with a college degree are more likely to have infants with low birthweight and worse health outcomes during labor and delivery than white women who have not completed high school. This is due to a multitude of factors which range from chronic physiologic stressors and underlying health conditions to structural racism and implicit biases in our health care system. In collaboration with The March of Dimes, Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority aims to address the various issues that adversely affect Black maternal and infant health outcomes and life course.

Women’s Wellness intiative (WWI)

The Women’s Wellness Initiative (WWI) is a consolidated effort that allows chapters of Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc. to focus on health issues that impact women; specifically, women of color.

The Women’s Wellness Initiative was developed after the Sorority’s participation in the United Nations/March of Dimes Prematurity Awareness panel in New York. Acceptable educational and programmatic efforts under this initiative include, but are not limited to Breast Cancer Awareness, Intimate and Domestic Violence, Heart Health, Diabetes Health, Mental Health and other issues that impact women.

ANNUAL YOUTH SYMPOSIUM

The one-day Youth Symposium was one initiative of Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc.’s national signature program, PROJECT REASSURANCE, which incorporated the “H3: It’s All About ME! – Healthy Choices, Healthy Living, Healthy Generations.” theme. The late Dr. LaRona J. Morris, Past Grand Basileus, originated this nation- wide symposium under her administration during the periods of 1996 – 2000.

Today, the Annual Youth Symposium is one of the sorority’s five National Essential Programs. We are honored to continue Past Grand Basileus Morris’s thrust to empower youth in our communities through hands-on, interactive activities.

Annual Youth Symposium Objective: The Sigma Youth Symposium is designed to address issues and opportunities related to STEAM, Health/Wellness (Mental and Physical), Social Action/Justice, Education and Career Planning, Financial Literacy; and Culture (Social Media, etc.). Nationwide, Alumnae Chapters (supported by undergraduate chapters and affiliates) present a unified effort to support our youth in-person and/or virtually through impactful, educational, inspiring, and engaging programming.

Swim 1922

Swim 1922 is the partnership between USA Swimming and Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Incorporated, created to increase swim participation and decrease drowning rates within the African-American community by engaging local communities with swimming programming.

Overview of Swim1922 Program: Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc. continues to strengthen its partnership with USA Swimming through the Swim 1922 campaign. Olympians and members of the sorority teach the community about water safety and how to swim. In our more than 90 years of existence, Sigma Gamma Rho has partnered and aligned ourselves with a number of organizations with like values, foci and community thrusts. With USA Swimming, Sigma Gamma Rho has touched close to 20,000 lives directly with the projection of changing multiple generations to come. Sigma Gamma Rho has reduced the level of fear and apprehension within the African-American community regarding water safety in general and swimming specifically. This joint venture has opened minds, changed attitudes, provided opportunities and opened doors for youth and adults; The campaign has had a direct effect on those who are predisposed to be fearful or simply uninterested in water activities due to lack of access and exposure. The Swim 1922 Campaign has managed to change the misguided notions about swimming and water safety.

NATIONAL PROGRAMS & PARTNERSHIPS

"Greater Service, Greater Progress"