Kappa, Koffee, and Goats — yes, you read that right. The event, put on by no other than Kappa Kappa Gamma (KKG), combines coffee, goat-petting, and community to support mental health awareness. Kappa Kappa Gamma is a sorority chapter founded in 1870 and became a chapter at FSU in 1955.
KKG’a philanthropy is the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI). It’s the nation’s largest grassroots mental health organization driven to provide support, education, and advocacy for people with mental illness. NAMI increases awareness of mental illness, offers education on how to help loved ones going through hard times, and provides programs to help people in need.
This includes psychotherapy, which is very effective talk therapy for mental health conditions, as well as support groups and individual assessments. However, to offer people such life-changing services, funding is needed. That’s where you can help!
Each year, KKG holds multiple fundraisers for NAMI to raise money and expand people’s knowledge of the organization and its work. As a Kappa myself, I can say that Kappa, Koffee, and Goats is one of the best times to learn about NAMI, contribute to the cause, and have a pretty cool experience.
The event begins when you arrive at the house and are greeted by one of the lovely sisters. You’ll then be directed to the house or one of the outdoor areas. For only a small fee of $8 before the event or $11 the day of, you can head to the coffee truck to order a pleasant and refreshing pick-me-up.
You can then walk around the front of the house, where flowers are laid out to pick and create a bouquet to take home with you. Kappas are always nearby to assist you with anything, whether for a photo or to learn why we care so much about raising money for NAMI.
After exploring the front of the house, you can head over to the pen, where many goats will greet you! You can hold, pet, and play with the baby goats and take photos with them!
KKG chooses goats because goats are used in all kinds of therapies to help people feel happier, calmer, and more connected to themselves. They help with stress reduction, improving your mood, learning empathy, companionship, and much more. They can even help people with social skills and respecting boundaries since goats are friendly but will give you space when needed. Observational learning is key in therapy; watching that behavior can encourage others to do it.
Partaking in this event is using your money to help those with mental illness and allowing you to try something new! But don’t just take my word for it; come to the Kappa chapter facility (528 West Jefferson Street) on Feb. 25 between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. and find out why it’s so worth the hype.
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