Mu Tau Mu of Alpha Chi Omega

Purple Light Nights!It's four weeks now until October, which is Domestic Violence Awareness (DVA) Month!

Each week in September, we're offering Alpha Chi Omega sisters and friends a fun and meaningful way to prepare for DVA Month; this week, we're very excited to the share Purple Light Nights project with you!

From their website: 

Purple Light Nights™ is the inspiration of the Covington Domestic Violence Task Force, King County , Washington .

The goal is to have all residents shine a purple light on every front porch; hang a string of purple lights in every business window; and decorate each downtown street tree with purple lights, to send the message that“Domestic Violence Has NO Place In Our Community”.  

The outcome of Purple Light Nights™ is to increase the awareness of domestic violence issues and it’s affect upon children and families. 

Join neighborhoods and cities around America each year during October’sDomestic Violence Awareness Month and participate in Purple Light Nights™.  Click on “Get Involved” for usable templates and instructions on how to start a campaign in your community.

This week we encourage all Alpha Chi Omega sisters to learn more about and support Click to Empower. Please participate in their “Click to Empower Campaign.” The organization with the most votes as of September 13, 2009, will get a $100,000 grant!

The goal of Click to Empower is to promote financial independence for domestic violence survivors. We’d like you to make your own decision about which organization to vote for. There are four choices – Charity Cars, Family Justice Centers, Safe Horizon, and YWCA. Once on the site, you can even connect your vote directly to your facebook page!

Click the icon to begin:

This week, we salute Alpha Chi Omega Foundation’s partnerships with collegiate and alumnae chapters. In July, we’ve highlighted ways in which Alpha Chi Omega Foundation works to end domestic violence. One of the most important ways is featured in this blog post on the ways AXO Foundation works together with local chapters and domestic violence agencies:http://ow.ly/ilvc

Help us spread the word about this great work!

spread the word about the great work we are all helping Alpha Chi Omega Foundation accomplish in the fight to end domestic violence. Here’s how:

1. On Twitter, post a message like this:

Saluting #AXO Foundation & chapters working together to end domestic violence http://ow.ly/ilvc #charitytuesday

OR

Follow a local domestic violence agency on Twitter. See and add to the list: http://ow.ly/ilvc #charitytuesday #AXO

(and follow local shelters on twitter, too!)

2. On facebook,

Post http://ow.ly/ilvc

OR

Post a link to your local domestic violence agency!

3. On email, send a link to this post (http://ow.ly/ily9 ) and ask your friends to participate!

Thank you!

A great way the Alpha Chi Omega Foundation fights domestic violence is through the local philanthropic initiative. Through the LPI, funds raised by local chapters go to domestic violence shelters and programs in their communities.

“In 2008-09, we have had over $258,000 gifted by collegiate and alumnae chapters through the Alpha Chi Omega Foundation’s Local Philanthropic Initiatives Fund for domestic violence related organizations across the country.”

Overall it is estimated that “our chapters donate nearly $400,000 a year to local agencies and shelters in various ways.”

This is AMAZING and we would love to hear from YOU how your chapter is helping in the fight against domestic violence.

For example:

Members of Mu Mu alumnae chapter in Kansas City volunteer at and raise money for Rose Brooks Center. http://www.rosebrooks.org/ Follow @rosebrookskc

Beta Eta collegiate chapter (FSU) @axo_fsu and Epsilon Tau Epsilon alumnae chapter support Refuge House in Tallahassee. http://www.refugehouse.com

Please add your chapter, your local domestic violence agency (with website and twitter, if available) by commenting below! Thank you!

This month we're learning about specific ways Alpha Chi Omega Foundation helps in the fight against domestic violence. Education is a powerful tool, especially in dispelling myths. Do you think domestic violence discriminates on the basis of socio-economic standing? Do you think being wealthy might protect a woman from abuse?

After you watch this video, you'll know the truth:

Join us in supporting Alpha Chi Omega Foundation: http://apps.facebook.com/causes/73662/14218508

Learn more about Carolyn:http://carolynsilentsecret.com/