Graduate and undergraduate members unite in service to donate 30,397 items benefiting Tennessee children and families



NASHVILLE, TN, October 16, 2026 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Members of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated® (AKA) in the South Eastern Region (SER) demonstrated their commitment to Tennessee children and families by donating 30,397 items through service initiatives conducted during the Tennessee Statewide Cluster and Tennessee Undergraduate Leadership Institute.

Graduate members gathered September 19, 2026, at Mt. Zion Baptist Church in Nashville for the Tennessee Statewide Cluster, where they collected 28,867 infant-care items through the "Little Ones, Big Love" service initiative. The donations benefited AGAPE Nashville, which provides foster care, adoption, maternity care, counseling, and family support services, and Matthew Walker Comprehensive Health Center, which provides health care and supportive services to individuals and families throughout the Nashville area, including pregnant women, new mothers, and infants.

Undergraduate members continued the Region's commitment to service October 10, 2026, during the Tennessee Undergraduate Leadership Institute, also held at Mt. Zion Baptist Church. Members donated 1,530 items for hair-care kits to Tennessee Alliance for Kids (TAK), which supports children in foster care, children at risk of entering care, and youth aging out of the foster-care system.

Together, the projects demonstrate the collective impact of AKA's graduate and undergraduate members in addressing the needs of children and families throughout Tennessee.

Graduate Members Collect 28,867 Items Through "Little Ones, Big Love"

The Tennessee Statewide Cluster's "Little Ones, Big Love" initiative focused on babies from birth to 12 months entering foster care, as well as pregnant women and new mothers in need.

Members collected 28,867 infant-care items, including diapers, wipes, onesies, diaper bags, pacifiers, bibs, socks, bottles, baby caps, pull-ups, and other essentials.

A total of 819 members attended the Tennessee Statewide Cluster, with 100 percent of Tennessee graduate chapters represented.

According to South Eastern Regional Director Toni Wallace Franklin, the initiative reflects AKA's commitment to addressing critical needs in the communities it serves. "Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated remains steadfast in its commitment to identifying and addressing the critical needs of the communities we serve. Through purposeful service, strategic partnerships, and a dedication to empowering others, we strive to create meaningful, lasting change and cultivate champions who will continue to make a difference."

Undergraduate Members Support Tennessee Alliance for Kids

The service impact continued October 10, 2026, as Tennessee undergraduate members gathered for the Tennessee Undergraduate Leadership Institute at Mt. Zion Baptist Church.

The day-long Institute focused on leadership development, personal growth, advocacy awareness, and intentional sisterhood engagement, equipping undergraduate members to strengthen leadership skills, build confidence, and enhance their impact on campus and within their chapters.

As part of the Institute's community service project, Tennessee undergraduate chapters collected hair-care items for Tennessee Alliance for Kids to help meet essential needs, comfort children, empower youth, and offer hope to families impacted by foster care.

The donated products included shampoo and conditioner for all hair types, boar-bristle brushes, edge combs, regular hairbrushes, and other helpful hair-care items.

Undergraduate members donated 1,530 items for hair-care kits to Tennessee Alliance for Kids.

A total of 219 undergraduate and graduate members attended the Tennessee Undergraduate Leadership Institute, representing 16 undergraduate chapters, including 13 Tennessee undergraduate chapters and three additional chapters from other states.

The service project reflects the South Eastern Region's commitment to pairing undergraduate leadership development with meaningful community engagement.

Graduate and Undergraduate Members Create Collective Impact Across Tennessee

The Tennessee Statewide Cluster and Tennessee Undergraduate Leadership Institute illustrate how AKA members across generations translate leadership, sisterhood, and service into meaningful community impact.

Collectively, graduate and undergraduate members donated 30,397 items to organizations serving infants, mothers, children, youth, and families. Graduate members supported families through "Little Ones, Big Love," while undergraduate members extended that commitment to children and youth impacted by foster care through Tennessee Alliance for Kids.

The Tennessee Statewide Cluster is one of three Statewide Clusters hosted by the South Eastern Region in 2026, and the Tennessee Undergraduate Leadership Institute is one of three Undergraduate Leadership Institutes hosted by the Region in 2026.

The South Eastern Region comprises approximately 124 chapters and more than 15,000 members throughout Alabama, Mississippi, and Tennessee.

About Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated®:
Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated® is an international service organization founded in 1908 at Howard University in Washington, D.C. It is the first Greek-letter organization established by African American college-trained women. Today, the Sorority is a dynamic international sisterhood of more than 390,000 initiated members in over 1,122 graduate and undergraduate chapters across multiple nations and territories. Under the leadership of Mrs. Charletta Wilson Jacks, 32nd International President & Chief Executive Officer, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated® continues its historic commitment to scholarship, sisterhood, leadership, and Service to All Mankind® while transforming communities around the world.

About the South Eastern Region:
The South Eastern Region of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated® serves members and communities throughout Tennessee, Alabama, and Mississippi. Under the leadership of Toni Wallace Franklin, South Eastern Regional Director, the Region advances the Sorority's mission through service, sisterhood, leadership development, strategic partnerships, and community-centered initiatives designed to create lasting impact.

Contact:
Bernadette Gray, South Eastern Regional Communications Officer
[email protected]
(615)435-9057

Dr. Char Dennis
[email protected]

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