Service
Service is the common thread that motivates and deeply inspires all Omega Phi Alpha members.
Through the years, Omega Phi Alpha members have donated hundreds of thousands of volunteer hours.
In a typical academic year, collegiate members can log more than 50,000 service hours. The impact and value of these hours is tremendous, equaling more than $750,000 worth of service if each of those hours was worked at $15 an hour.
Interested in our service projects?
Our collegiate members volunteer thousands of service hours and complete hundreds of projects every year. Read all about some of the awesome service opportunities our members have taken advantage of.
Committed to Six Areas of Service
Members of Omega Phi Alpha join together each year and direct their efforts toward performing chapter and individual service projects in six areas. These areas correspond to the direct beneficiaries of the projects. Each collegiate chapter is required to plan at least six projects per semester.
University Community
Our active members are dedicated to giving back to the community that is preparing them for their post-college ambitions by recognizing the efforts and needs of the university, the faculty, the staff, and fellow students.
Nations of the World
Our members take action through service on issues that impact humanity across the globe.
Community at Large
Our members recognize the significance of their communities and strive to make a positive and meaningful impact.
Mental Health
Our members champion psychological and emotional well-being for all through partnerships with national organizations or projects that address underlying issues impacting a person’s mental health.
Members of the Sorority
Our members deeply value their sisterhood and strive to serve each other, both active and alumni, through meaningful, uplifting activities and sincere, steadfast support.
President's Project
Our members dedicate time and effort to support a focused area of service that is designated annually by the national president.
Everyone who joins Omega Phi Alpha does so for the opportunity to serve others.
This desire carries into post-collegiate life and makes alumni some of the most active volunteers in the country, many devoting more than 20 hours a month to serving others.
Alumni also continue to volunteer their time by using professional skills to support local charities independently or as part of a regional or local alumni group. Others get involved with community programs at churches, shelters, hospitals, or fundraising efforts. Service to the active chapters is also an important way alumni can stay actively involved.
2023-2024 President's Project — Helping Hands
In July 2023, National President Brittany Thornton named Helping Hands as her 2023–2024 President’s Project.
Tying in with our national song and the theme of convention, I wanna take our commitment to service even further by focusing on projects that are more hands on. So for my 2023 to 2024 President’s Project, I wanted to create an initiative that embodies the spirit of service and the essence of our sisterhood.
And I’m calling it “Helping Hands.”
It aims to provide a platform for our chapters to engage directly with the communities they serve. We often find ourselves working to lift others up, writing letters to representatives, raising awareness, things of those sorts, all of which are essential. However, it’s equally as important that we really get our hands dirty and actively participate in projects that create a tangible impact.
By adopting a hands-on approach for the Next President’s project, we can truly connect with those we serve. On a deeper level, we’ll witness firsthand the challenges that people face and the difference that we can make. Through this theme, we can empower our chapters to engage in a wide range of service activities that require active involvement and physical labor.
Partial List of Service Partners
Throughout OPhiA’s history, active chapters and alumni have partnered with various national and local organizations and causes.
Alzheimer’s Association
American Cancer Society
Angel Gowns
Best Buddies
Books for Africa
Boys and Girls Clubs
Easterseals
Eat So They Can
Feed My Starving Children
Girl Scouts of America
Habitat for Humanity
Humane Society/ASPCA
Invisible Children
Local food pantries and banks
Local senior centers and retirement homes
Love Yourself Project
Nothin’ but Nets
Operation Welcome Home
Project Linus
Reading is Fundamental
Ronald McDonald House
Special Olympics
Sponsor-a-street clean up
St. Baldrick’s Foundation
THON (children’s hospital dance marathon)
Threads of Hope
Toys for Tots
UNICEF
Wounded Warrior Project
YMCA