National Philanthropy : Alpha Phi Foundation - Cardiac Care Week

 Mission

       Alpha Phi Foundation empowers women to be generous givers. We raise and award funds for programs that advance leadership development, encourage academic excellence, improve women’s heart health, support sisters in need and educate about the value of philanthropy.



History

       Alpha Phi Foundation, founded in 1956, is one of the oldest Greek foundations for women. It was set up as a trust – its purpose was to award grants from scholarship and cardiac aid funds. Today, two original priorities remain: to encourage and recognize superior scholarship and to support women’s cardiac health. The Foundation also funds programs that provide leadership and educational opportunities, educate women about philanthropy and assist members in need.

Why Cardiac Care?

In 1946, Alpha Phis gathered at Convention in Quebec – the hot topic: adopting an international philanthropic cause. During World War II, countless philanthropy projects were successful at the international level. “…Wartime projects were very successful and had given us an idea of what we could do as a unified whole,” wrote Catherine Wilson Storment, the first cardiac aid chairman, in the 1947 Winter Quarterly.

Now the question became: “What would Alpha Phi do in peacetime?”

At that time, rheumatic fever – a disease that causes serious, debilitating damage to the heart – was a leading killer of school age children in the United States. Alpha Phi wanted to help these children, but it also wanted freedom to contribute money and service to
other programs. Cardiac aid fit the bill – chapters and members were able to donate funds and service to various educational and research projects.

During the next few decades, modern antibiotic therapy sharply reduced mortality and cases of rheumatic fever became rare. Heart disease became the #1 killer of women in North America, and Alpha Phi Foundation thought it fitting that an organization of women help fight it.

Since 1946, Alpha Phi has donated more than $1 million to support cardiac health initiative.

St. Mary's University Contribution

        The Iota Beta chapter of Alpha Phi here at St. Mary's University contributes to the Alpha Phi Foundation through Cardiac Care Week, held every spring. During the month of February our chapter puts on a week of events geared at raising money for the foundation. These events engage the St. Mary's Community Members with, and allow them to contribute to, our cause.

                     Below are some pictures from last years "Cardiac Care Week" events.