News Article - 3 minute read

On August 26, 2023, Sigma Mu Mu Chapter, Third District of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc., donated and delivered to Loudoun County Public Schools more than 150 backpacks filled with bags of much needed school supplies; this year’s recipients were Leesburg, Sugarland, and Frederick Douglass Elementary
Schools. In addition, the chapter made a $500.00 cash donation to Leesburg Elementary.  Every year, some parents struggle to purchase essential school supplies for their children. As a result, children may begin the school year without enough school supplies, which often leaves them at a disadvantage and teachers to fill in the gap. A 2021 National Center for Education Statistics survey of U.S. teachers found that 94% of public-school teachers paid for school supplies with their own funds.  According to a survey by the nonprofit organization Adoptaclassroom.org, teachers spent an average of $750 of their own money to purchase supplies for their classrooms during the 2020-21 school year. By donating backpacks, school supplies and cash to schools, Sigma Mu Mu helps lighten the financial burden on parents and teachers while providing students with items they need to be productive in the classroom at the very beginning of the school year, thereby eliminating potential disadvantages.