Texas Wesleyan’s Psi Chi, international honor society, began the new year with an exceptional act of philanthropy.  The phycology honors club volunteered for Safe Haven women’s shelter. Safe Haven is an organization that helps with domestic violence.

For every dollar donated, the donor’s names are placed in a drawing to win gift cards and a Valentine heart to post on the psychology board.

The total fund donations went to pay for toys for play therapy, feeding hungry mothers, and for making sure the children eat three meals and two snacks for per day.

Eleven people have donated on the first day of fundraising.

Kaylyn Smith, senior psychology major and Psi Chi president, talks about the upcoming events for Spring 2014, which involve the Valentine’s fundraiser in February, volunteering at the Ronald McDonald house on March 9, Victory Over Violence Walk in Apr. 12 and donating $100 and fundraising at the Puppy Party in the beginning of May for finals’ week.

Last semester, Psi Chi donated $1,000 for Paws Across Texas from Psi Chi’s 2013 Puppy Party.

Phoenix Carlini, junior psychology major, explains Psi Chi’s biggest mission is to give back to the community.

“For psychology majors, giving back to the community and really helping pull everybody together as one of our specialties,” he said, “having good interpersonal skills and so we just try to use that as a tool to help bring people together and bring about good change that we like to see.

“While being able to help out the outside community,” Carlini said, “I think it also helps bring the psychology students and other students that come to this building together for a good cause. I’ve seen a lot of the students interacting and bring up discussions and conversations. I’ve met a few new psychology students just based off advertising the drive that we’re doing.”

Deborah LaChance, senior psychology major, researched Safe Haven.

“That’s our goal to be connected, to connect Psi Chi to a service that has to do with psychology,” said LaChance. “We intend to do something like this every month and also every holiday.”

LaChance encourages everyone to give and come to the drawing.

If you would like to give, come by Rudy Leonard’s office in Nenetta Burton Center 103 to give to Safe Haven. Every dollar you give you get your name in a drawing to win gift cards and a valentine heart to post on the Psychology board. Drawing will take place on Valentine’s Day, Friday, Feb 14.

For more information about Safe Haven, visit  https://www.safehaventc.org/