Alpha Kappa Psi business fraternity is helping raise money for abuse and violence prevention by offering something few people can turn down - free food.
The Center for the Prevention of Abuse and Violence, or Casa, has collaborated with DineSmart, an online restaurant gift certificate company, to offer donors free food.
Casa contacted Iota Xi Consulting, a group within Alpha Kappa Psi, to help them spread the word about free food.
Casa, a nonprofit organization in Phoenix, raises awareness and tries to decrease the impact of abuse and violence through prevention and treatment programs that teach children, ages 5 through 18, about the effects of abuse and violence. They also counsel children and adults who have been victims of abuse.
Executive Director Stephanie Orr said Casa used the Web site dinesmart.com with plans of reaching a demographic group that many forget about.
"Sometimes charities forget about the large population of generous college students who are anxious to make a difference in their community," Orr said.
Jeff Sherman, president-elect of Alpha Kappa Psi, works for Casa and put the fundraiser into motion. Sherman said he also thought it would be a good idea to target college students. But anyone can donate to Casa using the Iota Xi Web site.
Sherman said they have raised about $600 since they set up the Web site in late October. It's a good start but not as much as they hoped, he said.
"People don't really ask college students to donate to charities, and that's mainly because students wouldn't get anything out of donating their limited funds," Sherman said. "Although, I think if you offer them something for the money they donate, they might be more apt to give money to charities."
Donations can be made at www.iotaxi.com/casa. Donors are sent an e-mail with a code that they take to dinesmart.com, Sherman said.
Once they have done all that, they can browse the restaurants and print a gift certificate, he said.
While it may appear that the food isn't free, it actually is because donors get twice the amount they donate in DineSmart gift certificates, Sherman said.
The certificates can't be used at the same restaurant twice within a three-month period.
But business management sophomore Kyle Hansen, who has donated and used some of his DineSmart certificates, said the restriction isn't a big deal.
"There's such a large variety of restaurants that I don't really think you would want to go to the same restaurant twice," Hansen said.
Donors can choose from more than 70 Valley restaurants, including Fatburger, Stupid's Pizza Pub and The Vine Tavern & Eatery.
"It's really as simple as a mouse click," Sherman said.
For every $85 raised, Casa is able to provide its Sexual Abuse Prevention Program to one class of children, Orr said.
"One out of four girls and one out of five boys are sexually abused, and our program can lower this frightening occurrence of abuse," she said.
Alpha Kappa Psi is hoping to bring in more donations through more advertising and making sure people know the donations are two-thirds tax-deductible, Sherman said.
A $50 donation buys $100 worth of food, Sherman said.
"On top of that, it's two-thirds tax-deductible, he said. "So in reality, you're paying about $17 for $100 worth of food.
"You get that much food while helping abused women and children. I mean, what more could you ask for?"
Reach the reporter at kyle.snow@asu.edu
