St. Jude Children's Cancer Research Hospital, founded by Danny Thomas, treats about 230 patients everyday on an outpatient basis and maintains 60 inpatient beds. It is the first institution established for the sole purpose of conducting basic and clinical research into catastrophic childhood diseases, mainly cancer. In 2010, St. Jude was ranked the most trusted charity in the nation in a public survey conducted by Harris Interactive, a highly respected international polling and research firm. St. Jude was also named the nation’s top children’s cancer hospital in the 2010-11 Best Children’s Hospitals rankings published by U.S. News & World Report. For more information, go to www.stjude.org.
It opened in 1962 and has treated more than 4,900 children from across the United States and all over the world. Primarily covered by public contributions, the hospital's daily operating costs are approximately $1,216,247. For more than 25 years, Delta Delta Delta's philanthropic mission has been to help fight childhood cancer. Since 1974, Tri Deltas have raised more than $10 million in support of children's cancer hospitals, research facilities and cancer camps. Tri Deltas across the nation have conducted fundraisers, donated money and volunteered their time for research, support, and treatment.In November 1999, Tri Delta further enhanced its current philanthropic focus by forming a partnership with St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee. This partnership allows Tri Delta chapters to help St. Jude on a national level as well as support traditional philanthropic events for local children's cancer charities. In 2006, Tri Delta made a pledge to raise $10 million in 10 years for a new patient care floor at the hospital. This program was named 10 in 10. In the 2005-2006 year alone Tri Delta members raised over $2.5 million for a new Patient Care Floor. As the fraternity's philanthropic fundraising grew exponentially, Tri Delta created a new goal of raising the $10 million dollars in only four years. This new pledge was named 10 by 10, as the organization would be raising $10 million dollars by 2010. On July 1st at the Philanthropy Lunch during the 54th biennial Convention, the announcement was made that Tri Delta had not only met, but had surpassed the $10 million dollar goal in less than four years. As of July 1st, 2010, Delta Delta Delta had raised $10,643,582 since the $10 million dollar pledge was made on July 4th, 2006. Pictured below are Theta Upsilon members visiting the Delta Delta Delta Patient Care Floor of the Chili's Care Center.
A new fundraising pledge and naming opportunity will be announced in the upcoming weeks, so stay tuned for details!
What does Theta Upsilon do for St. Jude?
As a chapter, we have Hoops For Hope philanthropy week where we raise money for St. Jude. Hoops For Hope consists of a 3 on 3 basketball tournament that is open to the entire campus. At the end of the fall semester we host our annual midnight pancake breakfast right before finals which is also open to the entire campus. During the spring we also hold Delta Desserts! We open up the house to campus and surrounding community for all-you-can-eat desserts donated by a variety of places!! Every summer we send two members to St. Jude in Memphis. In the past year we have made placemats, bracelets, coloring books, books-on-tape, made care packages for the families, and written letters to the children at St. Jude. At the Philanthropy Lunch on July 1st, our chapter was recognized for outstanding fundraising and philanthropic contributions by being named a TOP 5 Philanthropic Chapter for St. Jude, and during the 2008-09 school year we raised over $20,000!
What other philanthropies does our chapter help?
During 2009-10, our chapter has helped many other Tulsa-area philanthropies. We have had groups of women volunteer at the Tulsa Food Bank, Emergency Infant Services, St. Simions, area hospitals, Habitat for Humanity, and many other places in the Tulsa area. At Christmas, we adopted a local family from Kendall Whittier Elementary as well as a family from Emergency Infant Services. We were also recognized as a Bronze Level Fundraising team at the University of Tulsa Relay for Life.
