The U.S. is a country founded upon the beliefs of freedom, equality and justice. When these don’t line up, people can lose trust in their government. This is why the Omicron Alpha Chapter of Sigma Lambda Gamma National Sorority Inc. is putting on an extravaganza.

The event, “Majestic Ball: Social Anarchy,” will take place Friday, Feb. 17, from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. in the Kirkhof Center Grand River Room. The night will include speeches, dancing and photo booths. Guest speaker Gamal Gasim, a political science professor at Grand Valley State University, will be in attendance as well. The event is free, but donations will go toward Kids’ Food Basket, an organization that helps feed hungry kids in West Michigan.

After Gasim speaks, students will have the chance to talk with each other. Then, there will be music, food and dancing. The dances will be designed around various cultures throughout the night. As the event concludes, participants will have the chance to win a prize presented by Gasim.

Sigma Lambda Gamma hopes to shed light on social problems in the U.S. at this event, focusing on how and why these problems are taking place to give students a better understanding of the topics.

The sorority’s philanthropy with Kids’ Food Basket reflects their community service values. Their five principles are academics, community service, social awareness, morals and ethics, and cultural awareness. The sorority is very involved in the community and strives to educate people about the many different cultures in the U.S. This is why there will be different cultures’ dances at the Majestic Ball.

Kids’ Food Basket is a non-profit organization. Every day of the week, they deliver sack lunches to children in West Michigan who would otherwise be hungry. It is estimated that they reach around 7,500 students daily. The food packs contain proper nutrition and are decorated by volunteers. The communities served have around an 80 percent poverty level.

“One in five children in Michigan struggle with hunger,” said Bridget Whitney, executive director of Kids’ Food Basket in Grand Rapids, via email. “Our goal is to increase the number of children fed through the sack supper program.”

The sack supper program seeks to provide dinners for children in need. Over 42,000 children in the Muskegon and Kent County area are in poverty. Volunteers make it all possible for the organization to do what they do. People have the opportunity to donate money, and a dollar a day is what the organization recommends. Donating money can be hard for students to do, so Kids’ Food Basket also wants students to participate in painting the sack suppers.

“A lot is going on in our country right now,” said Tommy Sheppard, a GVSU student. “People instead need to look at the little things, like feeding kids.”

For more information about the Majestic Ball, visit www.gvsu.edu/events/majestic-ball-social-anarchy/.