Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. Announces Milestone Achievement in Sunday of Hope Initiative

(Philadelphia, PA)- May 28, 2010 - Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. announced today it has achieved a milestone benchmark of raising One Million Dollars in its historic Sunday of Hope Initiative partnership with churches and the community in a multi-layer effort to support the work of the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

The Grand Polemarch, Dwayne M. Murray, Esq., along with ministers and representatives of the top contributing churches to the Sunday of Hope Initiative, during a ceremony at St. Jude’s headquarters in Memphis, Tennessee, today made the presentation to St. Jude representing the million dollar mark. “Kappa Alpha Psi began this initiative three years ago, because we knew that the work of St. Jude was an invaluable asset to the lives of children,” Murray said, “we are pleased and eternally grateful to our partners—the churches and communities that worked alongside us for recognizing this organizations’ priceless work.” The keynote speaker for the occasion was Reverend Dr. Calvin O. Butts, III, Pastor of the historic Abyssinian Baptist Church in Harlem. He emphasized the wisdom of his fraternity partnering with St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and understanding God’s charge to each of us to care for “the least of these.”

Kappa Alpha Psi began the Sunday of Hope Initiative in May 2008 with a goal of raising $500,000 in five years, by partnering with churches and other key local community groups in each city and region where the fraternity’s more than 750 Undergraduate & Alumni Chapters provide community service.

At the time of the announcement three years ago, Grand Polemarch Murray said, “we have decided to assist in the waging of war against childhood diseases, and the work at St. Jude’s exemplifies the frontline of the battle against cancer and other diseases that affect our children. It’s all about the children, and I urge all members of Kappa Alpha Psi to continue to reach out to churches and other organizations to assist us in this perpetual, lifesaving war.” He said that, “we’re particularly proud of the tremendous work St. Jude does in saving lives in it’s sickle cell program, a disease that disproportionately affects African Americans.”

Because so many answered the call to action, the Grand Polemarch also expressed enormous gratitude to each and every church family and community organization that stood with the fraternity in supporting the life saving work of St. Jude. “In one of the worst economic periods this country has seen since the Great Depression, countless numbers of people opened their hearts and their wallets,” Murray said. “Martin L. King, Jr. once said, ‘the question is not if I help that person what will happen to me; but, if I don’t help what will happen to them.’ Through these efforts we have shown people still care about what happens to them.”
To view photos from the 2010 Celebration of Hope: http://kappaalphapsi1911.smugmug.com/