Sigma Alpha Mu, otherwise known as Sammy, is supporting the Tuscaloosa SAFE Center with a philanthropy project called the Sammy SAFE Box. 

In just over two week, the SAFE Center — a nonprofit that provides resources for sexual assault victims — has received enough donations through Sammy SAFE Box to fill its storage closet in the SAFE Center, as well as much of the available free space in the Sammy fraternity house.

The Venmo and PayPal donations, too, have already surpassed $1,000.

The Sammy SAFE Box is a large cardboard donation box made by the members of Sammy and placed in the houses or meeting places of every participating chapter. After a chapter fills the box with donations, members reach out to correspondents in Sammy, who then collect the boxes’ contents and deliver them to the Tuscaloosa SAFE Center.

Philanthropy chair Pedro Reyes, a junior majoring in criminal justice and political science, spearheaded the project to connect the Greek community and the Tuscaloosa SAFE Center. 

Reyes heard about a similar project in another Sammy chapter for homeless shelters. After some community research, he discovered the Tuscaloosa SAFE Center. 

“I was surprised to find out that we were the first fraternity ever to reach out to them to partner with them,” Reyes said.

After communicating with the SAFE Center, Reyes and his chapter president Cole Parker, a senior majoring in computer science, pitched their initiative to the Interfraternity Council, the Alabama Panhellenic Association, the United Greek Council and the National Pan-Hellenic Council. 

All 69 chapters in the four councils agreed to participate in the project.

“Every chapter with a house on campus has a box,” Reyes said. “Even off-campus sororities and fraternities are using the box outside the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life, or they’ve taken a box to their off-campus location.” 

Each chapter received a list of donation items, which included the Venmo for the Tuscaloosa SAFE Center, as well as their own Sammy SAFE Box. 

The SAFE Center collects donations every Friday afternoon. If chapters fill up the box before the week is over, they  text Reyes or one of the other Sammy SAFE Box ambassadors to schedule a personal pickup.

“It’s crazy what they’re doing for us, but it’s going to be great,” said Nicole Hall, the Tuscaloosa SAFE Center’s community outreach director. 

Although the donations have overwhelmed the center’s storage space, Hall said the workers at the center are excited about the success of the program so far. 

“We didn’t have to do anything,” Hall said. “This whole project has been led by [Sammy]. That is something that just in and of itself is just wonderful and amazing.”

Reyes plans to continue this project throughout the rest of the month and, moving forward, to establish an annual event. In addition to the SAFE Box, Reyes said he hopes to raise enough money for the SAFE Center to hire an additional nurse. 

“We found out that if they could get just $30,000, they could hire a second nurse, and I was like, that is going to be our mission; that’s going to be our purpose,” Reyes said. 

Parker said the Sammy SAFE Box is available to every student, regardless of Greek affiliation, and that anyone can contribute to the box at the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life. 

“What they’ve done is amazing. [Reyes] came in with a tiny idea, and it’s blown up into this crazy, crazy event, and we are beyond thankful,” Hall said.

The Tuscaloosa SAFE Center is located at 1601 University Blvd. East. The center’s services are available to anyone who has experienced sexual assault. Useful donations to a Sammy SAFE Box include prepackaged snacks, toiletries and clothing items.