Philanthropy

Greeks exemplify the Trojan spirit by donating their time and efforts towards fundraising money for charities–both locally and nationally. USC prides itself on being one of the most philanthropic universities, much of which would not be possible without significant contributions from the Greek community. Most fraternities and sororities hold philanthropies throughout the year to raise money for local charities. However, in upholding the ideals of our fraternity to take care of those in need, Phi Psi has committed itself to being the most active philanthropic fraternity in the USC greek community. Whether it be our nationally acclaimed “Get Hands On” celebrity t-shirt campaign, our three annual philanthropy events for local charities, or our tireless participation to benefit other Greek philanthropic efforts, Phi Psi has truly set the new standard for Greek philanthropic involvement.

Get Hands On

In the spring of 2006, Brothers Elex Michaelson, Willie Ebersol, and the active chapter founded a national celebrity t-shirt campaign for breast cancer awareness called “Get Hands On.” Star participants included George Clooney, Keira Knightly, Samuel L. Jackson, Quincy Jones, Zach Braff, Pete Carroll, Sheryl Crow, Courtney Cox, Tony Hawk, the “American Idol” judges, “The West Wing” cast and many more. The campaign was featured on NBC’s “Today Show,” “Access Hollywood,” and in “People Magazine,” in addition to various media outlets all around the world. Phi Psi teamed up with the Entertainment Industry Foundation to support Revlon/UCLA Women’s Cancer Research program, which will receive 100% of the money raised. To date, the Get Hands On campaign has raised more than $75,000 for breast cancer research–more money than any other fraternity has raised through a single philanthropy.

Phi Psi 500

Every fall, Phi Psi hosts its traditional “500″ to raise money for The Shelter for the Homeless, which provides housing for local families in need. In April 2006, this one day event included sorority competitions and a BMW skate show, followed by a flood of nearly one thousand people on our front lawn for a concert by the bands Halifax and Pepper. The money raised for this event was presented in front of Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa at the Shelter for the Homeless Benefit dinner.

Phi Psi Field Day

Phi Psi holds its annual philanthropy called “Field Day”–an event modeled after elementary school recess games with competition between sororities. Events include tug-of-war contests, pie-eating, an intense 4-square tournament, and an obstacle course finale. Thanks in part to the participation of all the USC sororities, our commercial sponsors, parents, and alumni, this event raises over $5,000 for the United Cancer Front.

Haunted House

Every year, Phi Psi teams up with the Kappa Alpha Theta sorority to host a “Haunted House” to provide a safe location for local youth to enjoy the spirit of Halloween. This event is unique to California Delta and was begun back in 1927 at Phi Psi’s first homecoming celebration and continues to be held today–making it one of the oldest continuous philanthropies held by any chapter at USC.