Multicultural sororities host hygiene drive for Domestic Violence Awareness Month

Throughout October, two multicultural sororities are collaborating to collect women’s hygiene products for Domestic Violence Awareness Month.

The Phi Chapter of Latinas Promoviendo Comunidad/Lambda Pi Chi Sorority, Inc. and the Associate Chapter of alpha Kappa Delta Phi International Sorority, Inc. are gathering items like toothbrushes, deodorant, mouthwash and feminine hygiene products.

Donations go to the Compass Center, a local organization that supports survivors who experienced or are experiencing emotional, verbal, physical, sexual or other forms of abuse.

Students, faculty and University community members can drop off their donations in boxes at the Carolina Latinx Center, Davis Library and the first floor of the Student Union.

SeniorFiorela Villegas, the chapter president of Lambda Pi Chi, said the hygiene drive was inspired by the Compass Center’s vision and mission. The organization offers prevention programs, gives survivors the help they need and provide long-term wellness support — like career, financial and legal services, she said.

“They’re with the survivors every step of the way — not just at the beginning or after,” Villegas said. “We were more touched by this in a way because we feel like this is more of a systemic change that was needed that really helps survivors.” 

UNC senior Hope Bartlinski, the Vice President External of alpha Kappa Delta Phi, said she helped coordinate between her sorority and Lambda Pi Chi, who initiated the drive.

Both organizations are in the Multicultural Greek Council, and Bartlinski said the groups have previously collaborated through mixers. She said the combination of alpha Kappa Delta Phi being an “Asian-interest sorority” and Lambda Pi Chi being Latina-based creates a sense of unity amongst "POC women." 

Bartlinski said donating physical items instead of money is more impactful, as survivors can immediately use donated products to improve their lives.

The holistic goal of the hygiene drive is to increase awareness of issues like domestic violence, which often “are not brought up to the forefront as much,” Villegas said.

Holly Lovern is one of two Gender Violence Service Coordinators in the UNC Violence Prevention and Advocacy Services office. She said she supports those who have been directly impacted by gender-based or sexual violence and equips concerned peers, partners or friends to be effective supporters. 

Lovern also said the office works to provide confidential support and advocacy for any student, faculty member or University employee who has been impacted by any form of gender-based violence and harassment. 

She said all the services she provides are free, and those who experience domestic or other forms of violence can receive customized safety planning and reporting assistance, academic or workplace support, guidance pursuing a protective order through the court system or even just a place to process their experiences. 

Student events like the women’s hygiene drive connect the campus community with the greater Chapel Hill community, Lovern said, and bring visibility to domestic violence and available resources like the Compass Center and the Violence Prevention and Advocacy Services office.

“Our vision as a sorority has been to empower ourselves and our communities,” Villegas said.

Bartlinski said she and her sorority hope to do this drive again next year and that if other student organizations want to collaborate, she said both sororities would “love to talk about it.” 

“The people we’re donating to are also people of our own age, which again brings awareness to the fact that these types of things are not just for adults,” she said. 

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