PhilanThropy & Community Service

In 1936, at the urging of blind member Ruth Billow, Delta Gammas adopted Sight Conservation and Aid to the Blind as an international project. Delta Gamma's work for the visually impaired became unique among philanthropies as members answered the needs within their own communities as well as on the international scene. Governed by a Board of Trustees, and administered by the Foundation Director and a Director for each area of activity, the Foundation continues to grow.The Ruth Billow Memorial Fund provides financial aid to visually impaired members and educational grants to those members pursuing careers in services to the visually impaired. In recent years, the scope of the Foundation has expanded to include a wellness program, Well Aware; a career networking system, Cable Connection; and educational programming and leadership training. In 1990, the Delta Gamma Foundation acquired Art of the Eye, an educational exhibit created by professional artists who are visually impaired. All of the Foundation activities are supported by staff housed in the Dorothy Garrett Martin Foundation Center at Delta Gamma Executive Offices in Columbus, Ohio. The Foundation offers Scholarships and Grants to both it's Collegiate and Alumni sisters. Loans for sisters are available as well. Information regarding these can be found on deltagamma.org. Our philanthropy is Service for Sight and through out Service for Sight project Delta Gammas assist those who are blind or visually imparied. For instance, we host events like Anchor Bowl that help raise money for the visually impaired. Every Fall we host this event which is a night of bowling for sororities, fraternities, campus organizations and other groups. From this exciting event and other fundraisers across the country, collegians have raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for the Delta Gamma Foundation philanthropies of Aid to the Blind and Sight Conservation; Scholarships, Fellowships and Loans; and educational programming. Service does not just consist of raising money. Each year, sisters are required to complete a minimum of 10 hours of service to the community with respect to the visually impaired. In the past we have volunteered at Seeing Eye Dog Foundations, collected used eye glasses to be reconstructed into beautiful new ones for the less fortunate and made flash cards and other instruments to send to schools. We also do service for other philanthropies, including the Breast Cancer Walk and various events with other organziations at Adelphi.