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In 1980, Project Alpha was begun as a collaborative project between the March of Dimes and Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc.
Designed to provide young men with current and accurate information about teenage pregnancy prevention, Project Alpha consists of a series of workshops and informational sessions conducted by Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity brothers. The project provides young males with education, motivation and skill-building on issues of responsibility, relationships, teen pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases.
The three goals of Project Alpha programs are:
- Sharing Knowledge by combating ignorance and fear with factual information.
- Changing Attitudes by providing motivation toward positive changes in sexual behavior.
- Providing Skills by creating a sense of empowerment and self-esteem.
In addition Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity members participate annually in March for Babies events around the country, raising about $200,000 a year for the March of Dimes.
In Virginia, several of our March for Babies sites benefit from this relationship. For example, at the Virginia Beach/Norfolk March for Babies event, pictured above from 2006, Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity members from Norfolk State University not only form a fund-raising team, but also help with set up and clean up of the March for Babies site.
And recently, over 200 Alpha Phi Alpha alumnae gathered in Chesapeake to raise money via "An Ice Cold Christmas Party," held at the home of Dr. Armando J Wyatt. Click here for story and photos.
At our 2009 Annual Meeting, Alpha alum Maurice Hawkins was honored as the Hampton Roads Volunteer Extraordinary. Hawkins is the associate director of Alumni Relations at Norfolk State University and has been a dedicated March of Dimes volunteer and supporter for more than 10 years. Maurice was inducted into Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity in 1995, and he takes the Alpha /March of Dimes partnership and commitment seriously. Since 1980, Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity has been a national partner with the March of Dimes. For the past 10 years, Maurice attends numerous  kick-off events, walks and chef auctions each campaign season. For the past 5-years, Maurice has attended Lobby Day, state leadership events and held Prematurity Awareness Programs at Norfolk State University. But before Maurice accepts invitations as guests, he makes sure the work is complete. Maurice organizes teams of Alphas to help from set-up to clean-up for more than 8 walks each season, and coordinates Alpha representatives at chefs auctions. Recently, Maurice was named March of Dimes Coordinator of the Eastern Region of the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity. The Eastern Region covers from Maine to Florida and includes the Bahamas. Maurice#s current goal for Virginia#s Alphas is to serve as a national role model both in participation and funds raised. And to demonstrate his commitment, Maurice recently attended the Black Caucus Week in Washington D.C., where he met National March of Dimes staff, including Kathy Boggan, Director of Volunteer Development and Jane Massey, COO for the Foundation.
Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity In 1906, seven brave men studying at Cornell University founded Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. and, in doing so, established the nation’s first intercollegiate fraternity for African Americans. Known today as the “Seven Jewels,” these men over came the racial hostility of their time and founded an organization built on the principles of scholarship, fellowship, good character, and the uplifting of humanity. As Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. expanded, the ranks of its prestigious membership grew to include the likes of W.E.B. DuBois, Thurgood Marshall, Paul Robeson, Martin Luther King Jr., and many other accomplished men. Today Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. has a membership of over 175,000 with more than 700 chapters.
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