|
Philanthropy |
Fort Worth DGs and
Cook Children's Medical Center
Cook Children's Medical Center in Fort Worth and the Fort Worth DGs have a special bond through Delta Gamma's Catherine Alexander and her Alexander Vision Center which is housed inside Cook's. Fort Worth Delta Gamma was one of the benefactors to the clinic at it's opening. The Gamma Tau chapter and Fort Worth alumnae chapter both make donations on a yearly basis.
The Fort Worth Delta Gamma Alumnae Board members have collected thousands of eyeglass frames through out the years for the Alexander Clinic. We would love to have even more frames! What an easy way to "Do Good!"
Thanks to the vision and dedication of Catherine Alexander and the countless other DGs, the Catherine R. Alexander Resource Center for Visually Impaired Children is an important component of the Cook Children's Medical Center in Fort Worth. The Center was established in May of 1990 to assist in serving the needs of visually impaired children in North Central and West Texas. However, Delta Gamma alumnae worked on an ongoing basis for the old "Cooks Hospital" volunteering and eye screening starting in the 1940's. Delta Gamma formerly held Geranium Sales and all donations went to the Cooks Hospital.
The Center provides these children, their parents, their teachers, and others with useful resources and supportive services. DGs have assisted with many aspects of service and operations at the Center. Collegians provide babysitting for the Parent Support Group as well as eye screening.
The Vision Resource Center is a clearing house for information and resources. Center staff are available to provide educational information to families regarding their child's visual impairment and to assist them in attaining the child's maximum vision potential. Staff members are also knowledgeable about vision resources in the child's home community. Referrals are made to these resources when appropriate.
Special services are available for families of severely impaired children including a parent support group, a vision publication lending library, and a developmental toy lending library. The support group for the parents meets every month on the third Tuesday from 6:30-8:30 p.m.
A Vision Network also meets quarterly. The network is made up of professionals from local service agencies who discuss new programs and developmental resources for visually impaired children.
The Center's staff also assists low-income families to find financial resources for eye care services at little or no cost to them.
Catherine Alexander passed away September 2003.
