Members of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated (AKA) in the South Eastern Region donated 30,397 items to Tennessee organizations serving children and families during two service initiatives held in Nashville in fall 2026. The donations were collected at the Tennessee Statewide Cluster on September 19 and the Tennessee Undergraduate Leadership Institute on October 10, both held at Mt. Zion Baptist Church.
At the Tennessee Statewide Cluster, 819 graduate members gathered and collected 28,867 infant-care items through the “Little Ones, Big Love” initiative. The items, which included diapers, wipes, onesies, diaper bags, pacifiers, bibs, socks, bottles, baby caps, and pull-ups, were donated to AGAPE Nashville and Matthew Walker Comprehensive Health Center. AGAPE Nashville provides foster care, adoption, maternity care, counseling, and family support services, while Matthew Walker Comprehensive Health Center offers health care and supportive services to individuals and families, including pregnant women, new mothers, and infants. The initiative focused on babies from birth to 12 months entering foster care, as well as pregnant women and new mothers in need. All Tennessee graduate chapters were represented.
South Eastern Regional Director Toni Wallace Franklin said the initiative reflects AKA’s commitment to addressing critical needs. “Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated remains steadfast in its commitment to identifying and addressing the critical needs of the communities we serve,” Franklin said. “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.”
The service effort continued on October 10, when 219 undergraduate and graduate members attended the Tennessee Undergraduate Leadership Institute. The day-long event focused on leadership development, personal growth, advocacy awareness, and sisterhood engagement. As part of the Institute’s community service project, attendees collected 1,530 hair-care items for 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. The donated products included shampoo and conditioner for all hair types, boar-bristle brushes, edge combs, and regular hairbrushes. The 219 attendees represented 16 undergraduate chapters, including 13 Tennessee chapters and three from other states.
Together, the graduate and undergraduate projects demonstrate the collective impact of AKA members across generations in addressing the needs of children and families throughout Tennessee. The Tennessee Statewide Cluster is one of three such 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 that year. The South Eastern Region comprises approximately 124 chapters and more than 15,000 members throughout Alabama, Mississippi, and Tennessee.
The donations highlight the sorority’s ongoing commitment to service and its ability to mobilize members around critical community needs. By supporting foster children, new mothers, and families in crisis, AKA members are helping to fill gaps in care and provide essential items that might otherwise be unavailable. The initiatives also pair undergraduate leadership development with hands-on community engagement, ensuring that the next generation of leaders understands the importance of service. As the South Eastern Region continues its work, the impact of these donations will be felt by the organizations and families who receive them, reinforcing the sorority’s mission of Service to All Mankind.
