News Article - 3 minute read

On March 21, 2026, Sigma Mu Mu Chapter, Third District of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc., organized and executed a community food drive outside of The Pit Stop restaurant in Sterling, VA. During the event, the chapter collected 800 pounds of food donations, all of which were delivered directly to the Food For Others Food Bank in Northern Virginia. Food For Others is one of the primary food assistance organizations serving families in Loudoun and Fairfax Counties, providing emergency and supplemental food support to thousands of residents facing food insecurity each year. Sigma Mu Mu’s 800-pound contribution was a meaningful addition to the food bank’s inventory and speaks directly to the chapter’s ability to mobilize both its membership and the broader community around a common cause. The most needed items included packaged fresh fruit and vegetables, 100% fruit juice, canned soup, rice, pasta, canned tomato products, cereal, spaghetti sauce, Chef Boyardee products, canned fruit, jelly, peanut butter, canned chili or beef stew, and boxed macaroni and cheese; Sigma Mu Mu provided all of these items among others.  To ensure the quality and integrity of all donations, the chapter maintained clear guidelines on non-acceptable items. Items that were more than three years past their expiration date, opened, unlabeled, homemade, or cooked were not eligible.

Earlier in the year, brothers were divided into four teams named after the Fraternity’s founders: Cooper, Coleman, Love, and Just. The teams were originally created for the chapter’s “20 Minutes For The Founders” health challenge during which brothers earn points for physical activity on behalf of their respective teams.  In the spirit of community and competition, the food drive adopted the same structure and teams. Each team was assigned its own donation box and members encouraged arriving donors to contribute to their team; points were earned based on the total weight of each team’s final donations. 100 points were awarded for first place; 60 points were awarded for second place; 20 points were awarded for third place; and 0 points were awarded for fourth place. This added a layer of accountability and friendly competition that clearly paid off in the overall event success. When donations were weighed upon delivery to Food For Others Food Bank, the chapter celebrated its accomplishment that exceeded expectations. In first place, Team Love collected 228 pounds; in second place, Team Cooper collected 199 pounds; in third place, Team Coleman collected 195 pounds; and in fourth place, Team Just collected 173 pounds.

The March Madness Food Drive reflected the chapter’s ongoing commitment to serve the Loudoun County community and continued Sigma Mu Mu’s communal momentum, reinforcing its presence well beyond any single event or season. The competitive structure gave brothers a direct stake in the outcome, motivating them to recruit donors from their personal networks and encourage patrons to visit the nearby Giant grocery store to purchase items for donation. Upon the chapter’s request, The Pit Stop further incentivized participation by offering to donors a 10% discount on their orders, helping to drive additional community involvement. On site, donors received flyers from Sigma Mu Mu about its scholarship opportunities and information on a Winchester Gastroenterology event for National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month. By leveraging the creative thinking of event organizer Brother Aaron Crawford, Sigma Mu Mu positively impacted multiple community stakeholders, including Food For Others Food Bank, food donors, the Black-owned Pit Stop Restaurant, and the restaurant patrons. However, the main beneficiaries were residents who received the food donations distributed by Food For Others.