Recent Events
5K Environment Walk/Run
September 14, 2024
On Saturday, September 14, 2024, members of IPSMCC, our community partners, family and friends met at Indian Head Trail to walk for a great cause – Scholarships! With the help of our community and sponsors, we raised over $4,500 to help local students pursue their dream of obtaining a higher education. As we walked, we were provided with information about the importance of protecting our environment and ways that we can help make a difference. Walking the beautiful trail was a great reminder that we are incredibly lucky to have beautiful green spaces. Let’s work to keep them that way! Finally, we would like to give a special thank you to our sponsors @ccdh_maryland, iWorksCorp, and the Silver Hill Lions Club.
Domestic & Intimate Partner Violence Awareness Public Forum
October 19, 2024
The Nu Zeta Omega Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. in partnership with Ivy and Pearls of Southern Maryland Community Charities, Inc., POIEMA, Ujima, and friends held an open forum to discuss Intimate Partner Violence, community resources, and current legislation on October 18th. In support of this event, community donations of linen, clothing, and toiletries were collected and donated to Angel Watch (Catholic Charities) LifeStyles of Maryland, and My Auntie’s House.
Juneteenth: A Celebration of Freedom and the Arts
June 19, 2024
The Nu Zeta Omega Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. in partnership with the Town of Indian Head and the Sigma Alpha Lambda Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., thanks everyone who joined us for our Juneteenth: Celebration of Freedom and the Arts festival. We had over 700 participants who enjoyed live performances from African drummers and the OutdaBox X’Perience, explored products from local vendors, and participated in activities for the entire family, including a kid’s corner filled with games, moon bounces, and face-painting. The event was hosted by WHUR’s DJ EZ Street. If you missed this event, you will not want to miss next year’s celebration! We hope to see you there!
Community Schools Day
April 27, 2024
2nd Annual Community Health & Wellness Fair
April 20, 2024
April Healthy Food Series
April 2024
Black Family Wellness Expo
March 16, 2024
20th Martin Luther King Jr Day of Service
January 15, 2024
Christmas Food Baskets
December 2023
Ivy and Pearls of Southern Maryland Community Charities, Inc. (IPSMCC) and Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc.®, Nu Zeta Omega Chapter collaborated with six (6) community schools in Charles and St. Mary’s Counties to provide holiday meals to families who suffer from food insecurity. Each Community School received ten (1) breakfast baskets and one school received seven (7) dinner baskets. A total of 67 Christmas food baskets were distributed, which fed approximately 200 individuals during the holiday break. The schools included in this effort were:
- JP Ryon Elementary School
- Dr. Gustavus Brown Elementary School
- Mt. Hope Nanjemoy Elementary School
- Lexington Park Elementary School
- George Washington Carver Elementary School
- Indian Head Elementary School
In addition to the Christmas food baskets, IPSMCC and Nu Zeta Omega Chapter members donated Christmas gifts to 22 students identified by their Community Schools. This holiday season was a blessing for so many families due to the efforts of our amazing members.
Giving Hope: Addressing the Crisis of Suicide Amongst Black Youth
December 9, 2023
Black youth suicide is a national epidemic, affecting every socioeconomic level. According to the Association of American Medical Colleges, black youth experienced the largest increase in suicide rates, increasing 78% from 2000 to 2020. On December 9, 2023, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated®, Nu Zeta Omega Chapter, in conjunction with Ivy and Pearls of Southern Maryland Community Charities, Inc. (IPSMCC) and several other community organizations, hosted a public policy forum entitled, “Giving Hope: Addressing the Crisis of Suicide Amongst Black Youth.” The forum was held at the College of Southern Maryland, LaPlata Campus from 10AM – 12PM. The purpose of the forum was to address the mental health of black youth, educate the community about the crisis impacting our youth, and ultimately, reduce the rate of black youth suicide.
The forum included a guest speaker, panel discussion, breakout session for both parents and youth, and vendors that provided local mental health resources. There were 106 attendees.
POIEMA Toiletries Donation
November 30, 2023
On November 30, 2023, Ivy and Pearls of Southern Maryland Community Charities, Inc. (IPSMCC) and Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc.®, Nu Zeta Omega Chapter donated toiletry items to the POIEMA Women’s Shelter. Members Andrea Henderson, Claudette Ross, and Da’Net Sturdifen delivered the donated toiletry items that were collected at the 2023 Community Health Fair to the shelter. The donated items included:
–Toilet Paper Rolls – 168 rolls -Soap bars – 30 -Body/hand wipes – 12 packs
-Paper Towel Rolls – 66 rolls -Hand soap – 7 containers -Lotion/body cream – 21 bottles
-Toothpaste – 44 tubes -Q-tips – 5 containers -Chapstick/lip balm – 6 tubes
-Toothbrush kits – 23 kits -Mouthwash – 5 containers -Razors – 21 individual packs
-Deodorant – 20 -Cortisone/cologne/misc – 15 pieces
The women of POIEMA were appreciative of the donation and offered a tour of their home. IPSMCC and Nu Zeta Omega will continue to donate toiletry items and other resources to the Women of POIEMA in the 2024 calendar year.
Walk to End Alzheimer’s: Charles County
November 18, 2023
The Alzheimer’s Walk was held at the LaPlata Town Hall, located in LaPlata, MD. Ivy and Pearls of Southern Maryland Community Charities, Inc. (IPSMCC) in partnership with Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.®, Nu Zeta Omega Chapter, provided healthy refreshments including fresh fruit, breakfast bars, snacks, juice, and water for the walk. This has been our contribution to the walk for the last several years. IPSMCC recognizes Alzheimer’s as a serious disease affecting the Southern Maryland community. It is through fundraising that a cure may be found.
Thanksgiving Turkey Giveaway
November 2023
The annual Thanksgiving Turkey Giveaway program was held at the Metropolitan United Methodist Church in Indian Head, MD. The program provided turkeys, canned goods, and other items to 100 families. Ivy and Pearls of Southern Maryland Community Charities, Inc. (IPSMCC), in collaboration with Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc.®, Nu Zeta Omega Chapter, represented a continued partnership with MD Delegate (Member) Edith Patterson, Charles County Commissioner Vice-President Ralph Patterson, and Metropolitan United Methodist Church’s Methodist Men, with sponsorship from G.S. Proctor and Associates.
Project WARM: Wrap Arms aRound Many
October 27, 2023
On October 27th, 2023, Ivy and Pearls of Southern Maryland Community Charities, Inc. (IPSMCC), partnered with St. Peter Claver Catholic Church to provide a warm meal and clothing items to members of the St. Mary’s homeless population. In total, there were 10 guests serviced (3 women and 7 men). IPSMCC served each client by preparing a meal consisting of smothered hamburgers, ham, green beans, corn, mashed potatoes, a house salad, and dessert. In addition to the food prepared by our members, guests were provided gift bags filled with warm socks, gloves, and a hat. The guests were thankful for the warm meal and clothing items, along with having a place to stay for the night, away from the cold winter air. In 2022, IPSMCC also partnered with St. Peter Claver Catholic Church for Project WARM and look forward to continuing the tradition of providing a needed meal and warm items to the St. Mary’s homeless population.
Indian Head Elementary School: Community Day Carnival
October 14, 2023
Ivy and Pearls of Southern Maryland Community Charities, Inc. (IPSMCC), and Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc.®, Nu Zeta Omega Chapter partnered with Indian Head Elementary School to host its carnival-themed Community Day event. This is the second year IPSMCC and Nu Zeta Omega Chapter participated in this event. Members were tasked with greeting the community residents, accepting and organizing donated items, and distributing the donated clothes and toiletry items to community residents and their children. The event was open to the public and provided entertainment and fun. This event was a success, and we look forward to partnering with Indian Head Elementary School for future programs.
2023 Juneteenth Celebration of Freedom and the Arts
June 19, 2023
Juneteenth is a celebration of the day in 1865 when the slaves in Galveston, Texas were informed of their freedom. This program was a cooperative partnership between Ivy and Pearls of Southern Maryland Community Charities, Inc. (IPSMCC), Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.®, Nu Zeta Omega Chapter, the Town of Indian Head, and the Sigma Alpha Lambda Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Incorporated®. We celebrated Juneteenth, also known as “Freedom Day”, with a historian who provided the history and importance of Juneteenth, African-American drummers who brought the sounds and dances from the ancestors, and a live band. The event fostered a sense of community for the participants who camped out in lawn chairs to enjoy the performances, and were catered to with free food and ice cream. The event also showcased local community vendors and provided face-paintings and balloon art crafts for kids.
2023 Relay for Life
June 17, 2023
Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.®, Nu Zeta Omega Chapter in partnership with Ivy and Pearls of Southern Maryland Community Charities, Inc. (IPSMCC) participated in the annual 2023 Charles County Relay for Life event. The Relay for Life movement was sponsored by the American Cancer Society, the world’s largest fundraising event, united in the fight against cancer. Collectively, we raised $4,588.00, a testament to our dedication to making a difference in the fight against cancer. This substantial fundraising effort placed us at an impressive #4 ranking out of 27 teams, underlining the commitment and generosity of our members.
2023 Community Fair
May 20, 2023
Ivy and Pearls of Southern Maryland Community Charities, Inc. (IPSMCC), in partnership with Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc.®, Nu Zeta Omega Chapter and other community partners, hosted a Community Fair on May 20th at the Capital Clubhouse in Waldorf from 10:00 am – 2:00 pm. The Community Fair was a community-centric, collaborative event. The Fair provided interactive activities, panel discussions, music, food, and featured local community vendors. GirlTrek opened the event with a group walk to get participants ready for a fun-filled day. The other interactive activities included a Zumba session hosted by Dynamo!Fitness, ongoing hula hoop sessions sponsored by Hoops & Flow, and STEM play for youth participants. In between the interactive events, there were panel discussions related to oral hygiene, mental health awareness, and composting (to protect the environment). A highlight of the Fair was a spoken word poem by a local high school sophomore related to mental health impacts for high achieving students. The Fair also featured local community vendors who provided information and resources to participants on mental health awareness, self-care techniques (massage and yoga therapy), blood pressure monitoring, self breast and chest exams for cancer prevention, voter registration, and healthy eating options to decrease chronic diseases. According to survey responses, the free massages offered to the participants were a highlight of the Fair. Local realtors, authors, political representatives, and artisans also set-up booths at the fair to provide information to the community. Approximately 200 people attended the Fair and the feedback received from the survey responses was positive.
2023 Mental Health 5K Walk & Run
May 13, 2023
On Saturday, May 13, more than 50 members, family, friends, and community supporters of along with one dog…gathered at Bensville Park to walk and run 5K (3.107 mi) in support of mental health awareness. Participants were provided with information related to caring for their mental health from @nami and other community partners in mental health awareness. Proceeds from this event will go back into the community to support programming that aims to improve mental health and to provide information and resources. If you were unable to meet us at the 5K, donate to support the cause at https://ipsmcc.org/walkrun/donate
2023 Community Fair
May 20, 2023
Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.® Nu Zeta Omega Chapter and Ivy & Pearls of Southern Maryland Community Charities, Incorporated, along with other Community Partners including The Links Incorporated, Southern Maryland Chain Chapter, Top Ladies of Distinction Inc. Southern Maryland Chapter, and Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc.® Upper Marlboro Waldorf Alumni Chapter, held a Community Fair whose goal was to provide Charles and St. Mary’s Counties residents a community-centric, interactive day filled with activities, panel discussions, and local community vendors. The scheduled events included a Zumba class, mental health panel and interactive self-care solutions, cooking class, dental hygiene discussion, live music, art and massage therapy, and a kids corner with kid-friendly activities.
Public Policy Forum on School Safety
April 29, 2023
IPSMCC in collaboration with Nu Zeta Omega Chapter, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., held a Public Policy Forum on School Safety on April 29, 2023. Led by the Advocate for Social Justice Initiative, 7 panelists including local school administrators, a mental health professional, the Director of School Safety for Charles County, and students participated in an in-depth discussion on how to increase school safety and combat school violence. Members of the public participated in the Q&A and were also provided resources.
Wellness for Your Well-being
March 24, 2023
Wellness for your Well-being was a Zumba and Intro to Fitness class for the community. Blood pressure screenings and healthy snacks were provided to participants.
Virtual Wine Tasting & Concert
May 14, 2022
At this event, participants enjoyed an intimate wine and music experience with IPSMCC and In Good Taste all paired to music by The String Queens.
Guests experienced a virtual tour through the wonderful world of wine. Our tasting experience was a great way to explore a variety of quality wines affordably and approachably. Our wine expert reviewed each of the eight bottles included in the collection by discussing the grapes, regions, tasting notes and even throw in some fun wine trivia!
Let’s Talk About Health: Your Womb, Your Wellness
May 11, 2022
Let’s Talk About Health: Your Womb, Your Wellness was a virtual discussion on female reproductive health issues that uniquely impact black women. Topics included: fibroids, infertility, egg freezing and IVF, high maternal mortality rate for black women and more. Click play on the video below to watch this excellent workshop.
Let’s Talk About Health: Breast & Colorectal Cancer Prevention
March 30, 2022
Let’s Talk Health is a conversational discussion about breast and colorectal cancer with four panelists. The panelist areas of expertise include breast & colorectal health, mental health, pharmaceuticals, and nutrition. The purpose of this event is to:
- Provide information on prevention/early detection of breast & colorectal cancer
- Understand the mental health issues of being predisposed to breast/colorectal cancer as well as provide mental health wellness strategies after receiving a cancer diagnosis
- Provide information on the pharmaceuticals being prescribed as well as other alternative and/or natural remedies that may be available for prevention and treatment
- Understand how to eat healthier and have a healthier body in preventing cancerThe event will be held virtually.
2022 Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service
January 17, 2022
In honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Ivy and Pearls of Southern Maryland Community Charities, Inc. along with Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. Nu Zeta Omega Chapter and collected and organized a drop off of non-perishable food, shoe, eyeglasses, and clothing for men and women of Charles and St. Mary’s Country. Thank you all for your donations! You are still able to donate at: IPSMCC.ORG/MLK.
Barnhart “Fall” in Love with Reading
IPSMCC members volunteer at Barnhart Elementary School’s Fall reading event.
November 2, 2021
Community Health Fair
IPSMCC and the Nu Zeta Omega Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. sponsored a Pop-up Community Health Fair to provide the community with healthcare resources to include blood pressure and diabetes screening, mammograms, and COVID vaccinations. The organizations distributed heart health and nutrition information, in addition to helping to get the community registered for health-related tests.
October 9, 2021
