Alpha Kappa Alpha chapter plans Newburgh block party, voter drive
Alpha Kappa Alpha’s Newburgh block party mixed live music and food with voter registration at Fogarty Apartments, a 65-unit public housing site on Johnston Street.
The Alpha Gamma Eta Omega Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated brought its third annual Big Orange Impact block party to Fogarty Apartments in Newburgh, pairing a neighborhood celebration with voter registration and voter education. The free, family-friendly event was set for 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. on Johnston Street and South Avenue, putting the sorority’s outreach directly in front of the 65-unit housing complex at 162 Johnston St.
The setup was built for easy access and broad turnout. Organizers described the gathering as open to everyone, and the day was slated to include live music, food, games, prizes, vendors and interactive activities. By staging the block party in front of Fogarty Apartments, the chapter placed the event in a residential part of the city where residents could walk over, linger and take part without having to go to a formal civic venue.
The voter drive gave the event a second purpose beyond entertainment. Alongside the music and food, the chapter planned to use the block party to connect neighbors with voter registration and voter education, turning a social event into a practical entry point for civic participation. That mix of celebration and public service fit squarely with Alpha Kappa Alpha’s emphasis on service, education and advocacy in its 2022-2026 initiatives.
The chapter’s work also reflected the scale and reach of Alpha Kappa Alpha as an organization. Founded on Jan. 15, 1908, at Howard University in Washington, D.C., the sorority says it has more than 120,000 active members and 1,046 chapters worldwide. In Newburgh, that larger network showed up in a local form: a block party designed to be visible, welcoming and useful to families who live nearby.
Fogarty Apartments added another layer of meaning to the location. Managed by the Newburgh Housing Authority, the property is one of the agency’s two public housing sites and serves older residents as well as other neighbors in the area. Hosting Big Orange Impact there gave the sorority a chance to meet residents where they already live, while building trust through a free event that offered both community fun and a path to the ballot box.
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