A recent gift to Al’s Pals from the Alabama Beta Chapter of Pi Beta Phi reflects a shared commitment to service, student growth and community impact. The contribution establishes the Center for Service and Leadership (CSL) Workroom, recognized with a plaque reading, “The CSL Workroom, made possible by the Alabama Chapter of Pi Beta Phi.”
The named space represents more than a physical location. It represents an ongoing commitment to service and to the students who continue that work as well as a shared vision of supporting initiatives that connect students with meaningful opportunities to serve.
The decision to support Al’s Pals grew from Pi Beta Phi’s national philanthropy, Read > Lead > Achieve, which promotes literacy as a foundation for lifelong opportunity and impact. For chapter leaders, the program was a natural fit because many members are already involved in its work.
As we considered how our chapter could make a lifelong impact through this mission, we chose Al’s Pals, a program many of our members already work closely with. Supporting it through an endowed fund allows us not only to strengthen the program today but to continue that support for years to come, which makes it especially meaningful to our chapter.
– Hillary Foster, Director of Service and Philanthropy
The chapter’s total commitment is $75,000, including $65,000 designated to name the CSL Workroom and establish a general endowment supporting Al’s Pals. This endowment is designed to provide long-term support for the program’s mentoring mission and is structured to sustain its impact over time.
An additional $10,000 will be directed to an existing Al’s Pals support fund, allowing the chapter to begin making an immediate difference while the endowment is finalized and begins generating future support.
For members, this approach shows a commitment to making an impact today while also supporting the program for years to come.
Through the endowed fund, our chapter will be able to support Al’s Pals far beyond a member’s time at the University, allowing our efforts to extend into the future.
– Hillary Foster, Director of Service and Philanthropy
Support for programs like Al’s Pals contributes to both community impact and student development. Experiences centered on service help students build leadership skills, empathy and a broader understanding of their role in their communities.
We are grateful for the generosity of Pi Beta Phi and look forward to seeing the continued impact of their philanthropy born out in a ripple effect through the community engagement from our students involved in Al’s Pals and in the lives of the children they serve.
– Sadaris Williams, Director of CSL