The Harry Potter Alliance

By Karen Bernstein

January 4, 2009

Chapters: A Year in Review

Less than a year ago, the Harry Potter Alliance announced that it would be starting local chapters around the world. Since then, the number of HPA chapters around the world has exploded, and individual chapters have grown exponentially.

Chapters have participated in Wizard Rock the Vote, Wanted for War Crimes, No On Prop 8, the 11 Days Celebration, TriWizard House Parties, and collectively raised about $800 for STANDfast.

But more than that, Harry Potter Alliance chapters have thought of creative and innovative ways to change the world….with some pretty amazing results:

• Accio Friendship in Madison, Wisconsin raised over $150 for Darfur through a Penny Drive in their local middle school
• The Rose Wand in Portland, Oregon participated in a Peace Fair where they helped people make wands and encouraged them to participate in MAK
• Pittsburgh Area Wizards helped at a Harry Potter craft table at a local bookstore
• Q.U.I.D.D.I.T.C.H. in Cary, Illinois collected 164 cans of food during a “food scavenger hunt” where they went door-to-door asking for canned goods
  They also left tootsie rolls in two classrooms for a MAK project and made cards for terminally ill children in a local hospital
• The Phoenix Pals in St. Johns, Michigan made bird feeders for Care of Magical Creatures.
• The Juustice LeagUUe in Poughkeepsie, New York raised $6,000 at Wrock for Darfur
• Clairemont’s Phoenix Tears in San Diego, California held a Book Drive for BooksFirst
• Epilogue in Moline, Illinois participated in Chalk4Peace
  They also participated in Banned Books Week by making signs to put in their local library encouraging people to read banned books
• The Capital Chapter in Washington, DC held “Read to Feed,” a study break where they helped remind college students how to read for fun. Participants were asked to bring canned food for entry.
• Lexington High School’s Harry Potter Alliance Chapter in Lexington, Massachusetts had a Bake Sale for STANDfast. They raised $330.
• DA-NC in North Carolina raised $170 for STANDfast by asking for donations at a Wizard Rock Concert and at high schools in their local community.
• SPEW in Kansas City went Trick or Treating for Darfur and raised $125.
• Flitwick Conspiracy in Schenectady went trick or treating for UNICEF.
• The Kingwood Quibblers in Kingwood, Texas went reverse trick-or-treating and handed out bookmarks
• GRAWP went on tour and raised $1500 for Haiti

If you’re interested in getting involved with a local chapter, check out our Find a Chapter page. Don’t see one near you? Email chapters@thehpalliance.org, or start one in your school or community!!