Dallas, TX, October 15, 2007 - Continuing its mission of strengthening the inner city community from within by providing community services, organizational support and educational scholarships for underserved youth and citizens in the Dallas Area, the Dallas Alumni Chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. and the Alpha Xi Omega Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. and will be host the 1^st Holiday Helping Hand Happy Hour and Toy Drive to benefit the Margaret H. Cone Head Start Center on Thursday, November 29, 2007 from 6pm until 8pm at the Bone Nightclub – 2724 Elm St. in Deep Ellum. Admission to this event will be a new unwrapped toy or cash donation (minimum $10).

“This collaboration effort has long been a goal during my tenure as President and I am excited to partner with the members of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity to make this event a success” states Sherel Riley of the Alpha Xi Omega Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha “The Margaret H. Cone Center is a wonderful school that prepares our youth for their future and we are proud to support them with this event.”

“Each year we have several events to give back to our communities in need and this is an additional way to generate support for our youth and generate support through our partnership,” commented Keith Campbell, President of the Dallas Alumni Chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. “I am excited at the early response and selfless giving that will occur and look forward to making this an annual event.”

Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. is an international organization founded on the campus of Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana on January 5, 1911. Since its inception, it has trained over 175,000 men, particularly undergraduates, for leadership roles in their communities and the attainment of a high degree of excellence in their academic pursuits.

Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. is the first Greek-lettered Sorority established and incorporated by Black college women on the campus of Howard University in 1908. For almost one hundred years, Alpha Kappa Alpha has given back to the community through service projects primarily relating to education, family, health, and business. The sorority serves all mankind through a nucleus of more than 200,000 women in over 950 chapters internationally.

In 1990, the Texas Instruments Foundation in collaboration with Head Start of Greater Dallas, established a model Head Start Center in the Frazier Courts area of Dallas. This center was named the Margaret Cone Center. Over the past 16 years, students at the Cone Center and kindergarten at Frazier Elementary, the children’s median scores on the ITBS improved approximately 30 to 40 points. Cone children who attend the Frazier Elementary School through 3^rd grade, today, score well above the national norm on state and national standardized tests.

 
For more information, contact Maurice A. West - email mauricewest2@hotmail.com or Sherel Riley @ sherelr@yahoo.com