Philanthropy
we love st. jude!
About St. Jude
Emily Jones
Vice President of Community Relations
St. Jude Children's Research Hospital was founded in Memphis, Tennessee in 1962 with a simple, bold mission: to end childhood cancer. Since then, St Jude has transformed the way the world understands and treats childhood cancer and other life-threatening diseases-- raising the survival rate from 20 percent to 80 percent. In addition to groundbreaking research, St. Jude ensures that families never see a bill for travel, housing, or food.
Tri Delta began its partnership with St. Jude in 1999, and it's a cause that unites chapters across the nation. Little by little, through campus events and fundraising campaigns, Tri Delta has collectively raised over $100 million to end childhood cancer. Knowing that every dollar we raise directly impacts the lives of its patients stirs up our compassion and our passion. We love knowing that we get to support patients and families during their most challenging times.
Our partnership with St. Jude demonstrates our values of truth, self-sacrifice, and friendship. It truly is the heartbeat of our chapter!
Philanthropy
Letter from Director of
To call ourselves a partner of St. Jude is one of the greatest privileges that comes with being a Tri Delta. We have been invited into the opportunity to change lives and be a part of miracles.
St. Jude is not just our philanthropy, but, as we often say, the heartbeat of our chapter. By continuing to share what makes St. Jude special, we keep its mission at the forefront of all we do and form servant hearts that desire to make the world a better place.
During our weekly chapter meeting, I share patient stories, fun facts, and information about St. Jude. This time is called “Why of the Week.” The goal is to allow each member of our chapter to find their own “why.” Whether or not our members have been personally affected by cancer, St. Jude’s mission resonates with each individual for a different reason.
Each year, we look forward to our internal philanthropy events, which include our 5K Walk in September and Sincerely Yours letter-writing campaign in the spring. During our 5K Walk, members dress up in all gold to walk a 5K around Baylor’s campus. On that walk, we carry 47 gold balloons in honor of the 47 children who are diagnosed with cancer each day. Later in the year, we each write letters to family and friends, sharing the mission of St. Jude and asking them to join our fundraising effort.
We also host annual events for the whole Baylor community to enjoy, such as Delta House of Pancakes (DHOP) in the fall and Sweets for St. Jude and 20K in a Day in the spring. DHOP and Sweets for St. Jude are on-campus events that raise money through ticket, raffle, and merchandise purchases. Our 20K in a Day is a social media campaign that raises $20,000 within 24 hours. In 2024, we surpassed our goal of $15,000, so for 2025 we increased our goal to $20,000 and raised $20,165!
Being located in Waco, we also take time to serve our local community and value our ongoing relationship with a previous St. Jude patient. PJ and her family generously share their St. Jude story and remind us of the real-life impact our dollars make.
The women in this chapter constantly inspire me with their selfless hearts and willingness to give and ask for nothing in return. It is an honor to be a part of something so much greater than ourselves, because “no child should die in the dawn of life” (Danny Thomas, founder).”
Emily Mangan
Director of Philanthropy
