Tri Delta sorority raises $100M for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital through small-dollar fundraising
Tri Delta chapters fundraise through pancake selling, letter writing and much more
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The Tri Delta sorority has hit a major milestone in its philanthropic efforts.
The Greek organization marked $100 million in fundraising for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital thanks to a 25-year partnership, FOX Business has learned from a Tri Delta rep.
Since 1999, Tri Delta sisters, including collegians and alumnae, have raised funds collectively through grassroots efforts and philanthropy events across the organization’s 138 U.S. and Canada chapters.
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Pancake sales (also known as Delta House of Pancakes, or DHOP), campus sporting events, letter-writing campaigns and walk/run events are all part of the effort.
Mindy Tucker, interim CEO of Tri Delta, who is based in southern California, shared thoughts and details about the milestone achievement in an interview with Fox News Digital.
Tri Delta sisters at Auburn University are shown writing letters during their "Sincerely Yours" campaign to raise money and awareness for St. Jude. (Tri Delta / Fox News)
She commended the 250,000 active Tri Delta women who participate on an ongoing basis in small-dollar fundraising.
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"It's not one person writing a big check," she said. "It's thousands and thousands of women, mostly on college campuses, who hold events."
She added, "We have a signature event called Delta House of Pancakes, and our women are literally flipping and selling pancakes to raise money for St. Jude."
Tri Delta sisters at the University of Texas, Dallas, serve pancakes at their "DHOP" fundraising event. (Tri Delta / Fox News)
Some chapters hold softball and dodgeball tournaments, Tucker said, as well as an annual spring letter-writing campaign called Sincerely Yours.
"Our members write letters to friends and family and encourage them to give to St. Jude to support the work that's going on here and raise awareness of St. Jude within their networks," she said.
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Tucker went on, "Kindness is a core value for us. We're leveraging our networks and coming together to do something that really makes an impact on someone else's life … It's really special to be part of something that's bigger than each of us."
Tri Delta sisters of California State University, Long Beach, volunteer at a St. Jude walk/run event. (Tri Delta / Fox News)
At St. Jude’s campus in Memphis, Tennessee, a building called Tri Delta Place acts as a short-term housing facility for patients and families.
"It's really special to be part of something that's bigger than each of us."
Tucker stressed how important it is for families to have Tri Delta Place as a haven to "fall back on when they’ve gotten the worst news of their life – that their child has cancer."
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"We're playing some part in making that journey easier by creating a space where they can find comfort on the St. Jude campus," she told Fox News Digital.
"Often, we get to hear directly from the patients, or we have a Tri Delta [member] who’s a patient, and it really hits home for us … There are so many personal ties and connections, and it's hard not to be passionate about the work they're doing."
Samford University Tri Delta sisters are pictured after the St. Jude Memphis Marathon in Memphis, Tennessee, on Dec. 3, 2023. (Tri Delta / Fox News)
Tri Delta President Megan James shared her pride in reaching this milestone in a press release statement.
"Tri Delta is proud to earn the distinction as the first Greek organization to raise $100 million for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital," she said.
It's a "powerful reflection of our founding commitment to service and kindness."
"Our members reached this historic milestone by pouring their hearts and souls into grassroots fundraising for a truly worthy cause. They remain a powerful reflection of our founding commitment to service and kindness."
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She continued, "We are proud to partner with this incredible research hospital that is fiercely committed to ending childhood cancer once and for all."
The mission of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, according to its website, is to "advance cures, and means of prevention, for pediatric catastrophic diseases through research and treatment."
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The organization also said, "Consistent with the vision of our founder Danny Thomas, no child is denied treatment based on race, religion or a family's ability to pay."