Philanthropy | Delta Zeta

Service & Philanthropy

Heart for Speech and Hearing

"To those whom my life may touch in slight measure, May I give graciously of what is mine;"

Delta Zeta’s national philanthropy is Speech and Hearing.

Delta Zeta has been focused on changing the lives of those with hearing and speech challenges. Delta Zeta supports the deaf and hard of hearing community by educating our sisters on ASL with the help of our ASL Chair and the community as a whole.

As Delta Zetas, we support individuals who want help with their hearing loss and/or their difficulties with speech while also being aware and educated about the deaf community that is proud of their hearing loss and their way of communication through sign language.

Delta Zeta has established two national Philanthropy partners,
Starkey Hearing Foundation and the American Society for Deaf Children.

National Philanthropy

More than 90% of deaf and hard of hearing children are born to hearing parents, most of whom don’t know sign language when their child is born.

ASDC was founded in 1967 as a parent-helping-parent organization which is the oldest national organization founded by and governed by parents of deaf children.

ASDC helps parents learn ASL so they can communicate and connect with their child from the beginning. ASL provides a strong foundation for learning other languages like English and Spanish and sets the stage for success in school.

ASDC supplies the information and support families request to ensure that their decisions and actions are based on up-to-date and accurate knowledge.

This partnership allows Delta Zetas to become allies, advocates and spread awareness about the deaf community and culture.

To learn more about ASDC, visit them at https://deafchildren.org/

In 2015, Delta Zeta named the Starkey Hearing Foundation as our National Philanthropy Partner. Since 2015, 51 Delta Zeta members have volunteered on international hearing mission trips in 11 countries with the Starkey Hearing Foundation.

The Starkey hearing foundation focuses on giving members of different communities the ability to communicate with their peers, families, and friends.They provide hearing aids at no cost, teach sign language in people’s native languages, and are global advocates for educating the world on the deaf and hard of hearing community.

The Starkey Hearing Foundation gives the gift of hearing to people in need in the U.S. and around the world. They believe hearing is a vehicle to reflect caring and to improve the lives of individuals, their families, and communities. Starkey’s mission is to give the gift of hearing to those in need, empowering them to achieve their potential. Delta Zeta pledged to raise 5 million dollars in 5 years and we completed this goal!

Things Starkey accomplished throughout our pledge:

gave over 1 million hearing aid fittings
built over 70 programs around the globe, trained
educated governments on hearing, hearing loss and hearing aids
initiated 7 national hearing health care plans
built the Starkey Hearing Institute in lusaka, Zambia

Today, they continue to travel the globe helping people in need, and, to date, have given the gift of hearing in more than 100 countries. To learn more about the Starkey Hearing Foundation, visit them at https://www.starkeyhearingfoundation.org/

National Service Project

In 2006 Delta Zeta partnered with the painted turtle, which is part of the Seriousfun Children's Network (Serious Fun), which serves as a support center to 30 member camps and programs worldwide.

This past fall of 2020, Delta Zeta announced an expanded partnership with serious fun.

SeriousFun's mission is to create opportunities for children and their families, to reach beyond serious illness, and discover the joy and a world of new possibilities, free of charge, of course.

We now have opportunities to volunteer at nine SeriousFun camps located in the U.S, including The Painted Turtle Camp and their virtual and international camps.

The Painted Turtle's mission is to provide a year-round, life-changing environment and authentic camp experience for children with chronic and life-threatening illnesses. Delta Zeta supports The Painted Turtle camp as one of its national philanthropies. Through fundraising, donating items and our collegiate and alumnae members who volunteer their time to the camp, we're proud to help the children that it serves. The Painted Turtle supports children's medical needs, inspires them to reach beyond their illnesses, and provides care, education, and respite for their families. There is no billing department. All campers and families attend free of charge. The Painted Turtle camp is associated with Serious Fun Children's Network founded by Paul Newman.

Fun Fact: Pi Gamma is the closest chapter to The Painted Turtle Camp, as it is in Santa Clarita, and a couple of sisters have visited to volunteer at the camp.

Since 1954, Delta Zeta Sorority has shared a partnership with Gallaudet University in Washington, D.C. Gallaudet University is the only university with undergraduate programs accessible to hearing-impaired students. Delta Zeta endowed the Delta Zeta Scholarship Fund and the Fine Arts Endowment Fund. In 1995, the Delta Zeta Dance Studio was dedicated. Donations to the Delta Zeta Foundation that are designated for Gallaudet University are used to fund Gallaudet Scholarships or other funding needs for the University, including endowment support for the library and performing arts. Gallaudet University manages the funds donated, selects the scholarship recipients from the University, and administers the disbursement of scholarship funds. To learn more about Gallaudet University, visit them at http://www.gallaudet.edu