About Us

Finding Inspiration in Every Turn

Linking Partnership Opportunities Foundation, Incorporated, a public foundation, is the nonprofit affiliate of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated®, Lambda Phi Omega Chapter. Its mission is to have a lasting impact on citizens throughout the Greater Cleveland Ohio area by providing charitable and financial support in order to assist in creating sustainable communities.

Our History

Linking Partnership Opportunities Foundation, Incorporated, a 501(c)(3) Public Foundation, is the nonprofit affiliate of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated®, Lambda Phi Omega Chapter. Its mission is to have a lasting impact on citizens throughout the Greater Cleveland Ohio area by providing charitable and financial support in order to assist in creating sustainable communities.

Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated®, Lambda Phi Omega Chapter was chartered on March 18, 1978. Linking Partnership Opportunities Foundation, Incorporated was formed as Lambda Phi Omega

Foundation on September 17, 2005 under the leadership of former Lambda Phi Omega Chapter President Reba Denmark. Reba Denmark (center), Kathy Parker (left) and Joyce

Walker (right) served as the incorporators of the Foundation. The Foundation was created to

serve as the philanthropic arm of Lambda Phi Omega Chapter but has separate business

operations (i.e. Board of Directors, bank accounts, bylaws, EIN and tax exemption status). The Articles of Incorporation were approved by Frank LaRose, Ohio Secretary of State, on

September 23, 2005.

On May 15, 2010, Lambda Phi Omega Foundation was granted 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status from the Internal Revenue Service as a public charity.

In 2011, the Foundation formally changed its name to Linking Partnership Opportunities Foundation to be in compliance with Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated® guidelines.

The Foundation bylaws were officially adopted by the Board of Directors on November 10, 2014.

In 2015, Elizabeth C. Blackman, Michelle Curry, Reba Denmark, NiQuita Gray-Baker, Michelle Kenney, Harriet Niles, Kathy Parker and Joyce Walker served as the Foundation's first board members.

Former Presidents:

Jeanneth Johnson Statutory Agent and President- 2015-2016

Serving as the Statutory Agent and First President of Linking Partnership Opportunities Foundation was

a major accomplishment. I had the honor to work with a group of dynamic women: Reba Denmark,

Joyce L. Walker and Kathryn Parker (Incorporators and originators of 2005 who conceived the idea)

along with Michelle Curry, Dr. Elizabeth C. Blackman, NiQuita Gray-Baker, Harriet Niles and Michelle

Kenney in 2015, who served as its first Board Members. I am forever grateful for the opportunity to

have lead in bringing into fruition this Foundation for Cleveland scholarships and assistance to the community. Ms. Johnson was the first to serve concurrently as chapter and Foundation president. An information meeting was held on October 17, 2015. The Foundation hosted the Autumn Affair as its first fundraiser on October 24, 2015. The Foundation’s logo, created by Edju Watson, was approved by the membership. The Foundation bylaws were amended by the Board of Directors on December 14, 2016.

Joyce Walker, one of the original incorporators and vice president under Jeanneth Johnson served as the Foundation’s second president and the first to serve in this role for two consecutive terms (2016 -1/2019).

Romona Davis, served as the third Foundation President (1/2019-1/2020. During her tenure the logo, foundation marketing

strategy, website and social media platforms were developed. The Foundation obtained its first grant from

Avery Denison to complete a playground improvement project. The renovation took place on September

28, 2019, at the Moulton/Scoutway Park. Members cleaned up trash, painted and spruced up the park. The

Foundation established and implemented the Galant Gentlemen of Greater Cleveland Awards Program.

The Foundation collaborated with Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated® Lambda Phi Omega

Chapter for the 2019 Autumn Affair, SWAG Walk, & Pumps & Pearls events. The Foundation established fundraising and scholarship committees, new scholarship funding sources and awarded scholarships to high school

students. The bylaws were revised and a regular meeting schedule was established and the Foundation conducted its first Annual Meeting. The Foundation became eligible for participation in the Amazon Smiles program.

Belva Denmark Tibbs was the second member to serve concurrently as chapter and Foundation president (1/2020-

6/30/2022) and navigated us through the global pandemic. Membership grew from 226 members in 2020 to 298 members in 2021; please note all members of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated® Lambda

Phi Omega Chapter are members of Linking Partnership Opportunities Foundation, Incorporated. In

partnership with Lambda Phi Omega Chapter's Fundraising Committee, over $58,208.17 was raised (2020

Autumn Affair $6,606.81; 2020 Double Good $21,595.50; and 2021 Luxury Raffle $30,005.86) — the largest

amount of funds raised since the inception of the chapter and Foundation. Kudos to Sophia Woodson, Tinia Flowers and Chelsea T. Pernell for thinking creatively and leading these three historic, virtual fundraising efforts! Despite the pandemic restrictions, the Foundation, in collaboration with Lambda Phi Omega Chapter continued to award scholarships to college-bound high school seniors. Special thanks to the Foundation board members for their service during this administration: Alicia Lewis (Vice President), Paulette Burton (Secretary), Kathryn Parker (Treasurer for a second term), Heather Beasley (Financial Secretary) and Enid Bonds Gray (Parliamentarian).