These initiatives are aimed at improving the lives of our young people by preparing them for their future by teaching them self-esteem, promoting educational success, and helping them navigate real-life situations that impact children of color.

There are three national initiatives that New Jersey Garden City Alumnae participates in, Dr. Betty Shabazz Delta Academy, Delta GEMS, and EMBODI. In recent years, the chapter started its Jabberwock program, which helps young women raise funds for college. Each May, the chapter continues the tradition of May Week which highlights academic achievement.

Dr. Betty Shabazz Delta Academy
A National initiative designed to enrich and enhance the education of young females ages 11-14. The primary goals are to bring about positive self-images, promote academic excellence, and instill community service obligations in a collective effort to prepare young girls for full participation as leaders in the 21st Century.

Delta GEMS (Growing and Empowering Myself Successfully) Institute
The Delta GEMS Institute is designed for teenage girls between the ages of 14-18 in grades 9 through 12, who have not reached their full academic potential. The goals for the Delta GEMS program are: to instill the need to excel academically, to provide tools to sharpen and enhance their skills to achieve high levels of academic success, to assist in proper goal setting and planning for their futures high school and beyond, and to create compassionate, caring and community minded young women through involvement in service learning and community service opportunities.

Empowering Males to Build Opportunities for Independence (EMBODI)
EMBODI is designed to refocus the Sorority’s efforts to collaborate with other established organizations and agencies to address the plight of African American males between the ages of 11 – 18 years.

Jabberwock
Scholarship fundraising program designed with monthly workshops to promote academic excellence, community service, and cultural enrichment for African- American young women from grades 2^nd thru 6^th and 9^th thru 11^th.

May Week
May Week is a national program of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. that was created in 1920. A week in May is set aside for programs highlighting academic and professional achievements and the events emphasize the importance of higher education in the community, especially for black women. Programs include

• College for a Day STEM activity
• Church Fellowship w/Scholarship Donation
• Youth Financial Workshop (Dawn, reflecting on TD bank program)