Pearls of the Eastern Shore

ABOUT POES

The Pearls of the Eastern Shore (POES) Foundation is the charitable arm of the Kappa Theta Omega (AKA-KTO) Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated. Founded in 2018, POES is a component fund of the Mid-Shore Community Foundation, a public foundation designated as a 501(c)(3) charity and serves as the financial conduit for the substantial community service contributions AKA-KTO makes through community programs, educational scholarships and service activities addressing issues related to education, social justice, human rights, health, poverty, economic security, and environmental sustainability directly affecting the local communities of the five county Upper Shore service area and the world. In partnership with AKA-KTO, POES sponsors annual community events such as the Salute to Middle School Youth Excellence at Chesapeake College, Health Fair & School Supply Giveaway at Idlewild Park in Easton, Barbara Dashiell Jeffries Memorial Scholarships for High School graduates of the 5 county service area, and bi-annually, the Pearls of the Eastern Shore Debutante Cotillion.  In addition, POES participates with AKA-KTO in yearly “Impact Days” that focus attention on issues important to our community. Each Impact Day is designed to raise community awareness with various service opportunities, educational support and recognition of critical health issues. Notably, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service (January), Pink Goes Red Day for Heart Health (February), HBCU Day (September), Breast Cancer Awareness Day (October), and National Caregivers Day (November). Routine service partnership activities also include Adopt-A-Highway clean-up, collection of gently worn shoes for Soles4Souls, participation in the eyeglass initiative with Lions Club International, and the Pillowcase Project to make dresses and shirts for little girls and boys in Haiti.

Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated, founded in 1908 on the campus of Howard University, is a premier international service organization of college-educated women with a strong legacy of leadership, service, and sisterhood. Celebrating 35 years of service, the Kappa Theta Omega Chapter was chartered in 1985 in Easton, Maryland serves communities in the primary geographic areas of Talbot, Dorchester, Caroline, Queen Anne’s and Kent Counties on the Upper Eastern Shore of Maryland. We are proud of our accomplishments and the contributions we are making to improve the lives of residents in the communities we serve and beyond. We are committed to the ideals and principles of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. and to perpetuating its legacy of “Service to All Mankind.”

We look forward to ongoing expansion in our service potential and impact through existing and new program initiatives and partnerships.