Welcome to the Mighty Midwest Region’s Programming website page of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.  The Midwest Program Planning and Development Committee serves as a resource for chapters that need assistance in implementing projects and programs, and it gives us great pleasure to present information on Delta’s national and regional programs and initiatives.

The mission of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. is public service. In 1913 our 22 Founders, on the campus of Howard University, “began to realize the opportunity for service in wide ranging fields…” and today, with the membership exceeding 200,000, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. continues to provide an extensive array of public service programs and projects under the Five Point Programmatic Thrust which consists of:

 ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

•  Financial Fortitude Smart Women Finish Rich
•  Entrepreneurship

 EDUCATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

•  Dr. Betty Shabazz-Delta Academy
•  Dr. Jeanne L. Nobles Delta GEMS                                                               Growing and Empowering Myself Successfully
•  African American History
•  Literacy
•  Service Learning
•  Disaster Preparedness
•  PEACE (Parents Empowered Active Children Education)
•  EMBODI (Empowering Males to Build Opportunities for Developing Independence) is the 24^th national president’s signature program. The implementation requires Delta chapters to collaborate with other organization’s to address the plight of African American males, who are in crises. They are being unsuccessfully educated which contributes to high drop-out rates, incarceration and risky behaviors, low self esteem and mental health issues.
•  Independence)  Cynthia Butler-McIntyre, 24^th National President
•  Signature Program

 INTERNATIONAL AWARENESS AND INVOLVEMENT

• The Delta House (Mbabane, Swaziland)
• The Adelaide Tambo School for the Physically Disabled (South Africa)
• Tree Project (Training Resources in Early Education)
•  Mary Help of the Sick Mission Hospital (Kenya)
•  International Day of Service
•  Water Tanks and Wells
•  Adopt a Child/Sponsor a Child
•  Health Issues Facing Women of African Descent

 PHYSICAL AND MENTA HEALTH

• HEALTHY LIFESTYLE: TOTAL WOMAN: MIND, BODY and SPIRIT (50 Million Pound Challenge, American Heart Association – Go Red! for Women Campaign)
• LOSE to WIN! Family healthy lifestyle weight and nutrition challenge
• St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
• Sickle Cell Disease Foundation
• Sisters Network Inc.,
  • CATCHING, COPING and CONQUERING (chronic illnesses include: Cancer, HIV/AIDS, and Cardiovascular Disease)
  • MY CRY IN THE DARK (Mental Health Initiative)
  • Diabetes Program (African American Initiative for Diabetes)Regina R.Harper, Midwest Regional Initiative

In addition to the national and regional programs, the national president and regional director also have special initiatives. The Midwest Region initiative is Diabetes. In 2009 all 134 Midwest chapters partnered with the American Diabetes Association’s African American Initiatives. This program is a collaborative effort between ADA and the African American community. The goal is to proactively fight diabetes by educating the community about the disease and providing healthy lifestyle information to help prevent and manage Diabetes. 

The Midwest Region received the Volunteer of Distinction Award from the ADA. Delta is the largest African American Greek Organization helping to spread the message that there is no cure for diabetes, but it can be controlled and prevented. We are excited about the role that we play with the ADA and the African American Initiatives.

• Domestic & Sexual Violence Initiative

POLITICAL AWARENESS AND INVOLVEMENT

• Voter Mobilization and Education Efforts

Recognizing the importance of our participation in the 2012 Presidential election, sorors in the Mighty Midwest Region have launched the DIVA (Deltas Increasing Voter Awareness) Movement, a strategic year-long plan to educate and mobilize voters.

 The initiative, which borrows its name from a similar program conducted by Chicago Alumnae Chapter in 2010, has four main goals:

1. Increasing the number of registered voters
2. Educating disenfranchised populations about their voting rights
3. Educating the public on policy issues and candidates’ platforms
4. Strengthening and increasing local partnerships with community organizations, leaders and elected officials.

   “We want our sorors and the communities they serve to be engaged in every element of this election year, from serving as delegates to their respective parties’ conventions to voting on Election Day,” said Kim Trent, Midwest Social Action Coordinator. “Through the DIVA Movement, we are educating voters about the process but more importantly, we are using our powerful sisterhood to move them to the polls.”

The DIVA Movement features four phases:

 Phase One: Presidential Primary/Caucus Education

 Midwest chapters will educate themselves and the citizens in their service areas about their state’s Presidential primary or caucus voting process. The goal is to encourage more African Americans to become involved in their political party’s candidate selection process. Each state’s Social Action Coordinator has prepared a document outlining facts about registration deadlines, the major political parties’ Presidential nominating process and other important election year information. The documents should be shared with chapter members and the community at large.

 Phase Two: Voter Registration and Outreach to  High School Seniors

Midwest chapters will host events at local high schools in the spring to do voter registration of high school seniors. Chapters will then capture the information and follow up with the new voters in the fall to make sure they plan to participate in the election. Chapters should partner with youth organizations to help with outreach.

 Phase Three: Planning for Voter Mobilization

This spring, Midwest chapters will launch phase three, when they will spend time planning their voter mobilization plans for the November 2012 election. Chapter social action committees should map out how many and what kind of events and activities your chapter will present to educate and mobilize voters in the fall. Chapters should also use the planning phase to determine budgetary needs for voter mobilization projects. During this time, chapters should also explain the duties of deputy registrars and election challengers and encourage them to be trained to serve in these important roles. Plans for outreach activities should include partnerships with organizations such as the NAACP.

 Phase Four: Execution of Voter Education and Mobilization Plan

In the summer and fall of 2012, Midwest chapters should execute their voter mobilization and education plans. The plans should include a strategy to document and report voting rights violations and pitfalls and track voters. Voter outreach should include partnerships with other voting rights, social justice and community empowerment organizations.

As we celebrate Delta Sigma Theta’s 99 years of service, the DIVA Movement is a fitting tribute to the founders’ vision of a sisterhood engaged in social activism and the struggle for political empowerment.

• Strength of local partnership with the NAACP
• Participation in Delta Days in the Nation's Capital
• Programming alignment with the National Social Action Agenda:      (Voting, Economic Survival, Quality Education, Eco-Friendly Environment, Keeping Our Connection to African and United Nations Non-Governmental Organization policy priorities)
• Delta R.E.D. (Recycle Every Day)

Under the leadership of the Midwest Regional Director and Representative, Regina R. Harper and Diona M. Morgan, the goal for all Midwest chapters is to develop and implement stellar projects and programs with the expectation that every chapter will execute at least two of the Five Point Thrust Programs as well as conduct a Diabetes project or program and launch an EMBODI project.

 Delta’s national president, along with the National Program Planning and Development Committee, establish and guide the organization to focus on issues and challenges that affect African Americans and their communities.

Over the years, from 1913 until the present, Delta chapters world-wide have been in the forefront of providing dedicated and committed public service in their respective communities.  Here in the Mighty Midwest Region our actions speak volumes because Midwest chapters embrace public service.