Angela Cobos, Southwestern, turned a chapter house upgrade into meaningful community impact. “If it wasn’t bolted down, I gave it away.” That’s how Angela—longtime alumnae advisor, current operations advisor—describes clearing out 13,000 square feet of furniture and supplies from the Texas A&M Tri Delta house, all in just two and a half days!
Angela has been part of Gamma Alpha Chapter’s new house project from the beginning. The new home at Texas A&M opens next fall, and as the teardown approached, Angela found herself asking one question: What happens to everything inside?
Finding a Bigger Purpose
As someone deeply connected to several nonprofits, Angela knew how many local families live paycheck to paycheck and how much good the contents of a house this size could do for so many people in need.
With the green light from Tri Delta Housing, she started calling local organizations, community partners and nearby Tri Delta chapters at Southwestern, Stephen F. Austin and Texas A&M/Corpus Christi. The response was immediate.
Maternity Home in Need
Over a year ago, a local Tri Delta alumna connected Angela with Aggieland Pregnancy Outreach, an organization that supports moms in crisis—including housing up to 13 moms and their children (up to age three)—and the chapter started volunteering with them.
Angela invited the team to walk through the house. “The director started crying. Just days earlier, they’d lost $250,000 of their decorating budget to mandatory fire upgrades. Now, they had access to beds, dressers, tables, lamps, kitchenware—even the custom rug from the foyer, which fit perfectly into their dining room.”
Direct Impact, Delivered to the Door
When Angela learned St. Vincent de Paul Bryan—College Station desperately needed basics (from mattresses to cleaning supplies and a full-size fridge), she coordinated another massive donation. Much of it went straight into the hands of families transitioning out of homelessness, including a mom escaping domestic violence with her three preteens. The beloved sectional from the Pansy Room? It’s now in her living room!
“Our own members even brought their things to donate,” Angela said. “Futons, shower caddies—whatever they could give.”
Supporting Even More Local Partners
The giving continued:
- Twin City Mission received decorative pieces and folding chairs for their community meal space.
- College Fresh, the campus culinary partner, received kitchen items.
- And Tri Delta’s own beloved housekeeper—part of the Gamma Alpha family—took holiday décor to sell at her church bazaar.
Angela’s work inspired those supporting the housing campaign project at Tri Delta’s Phi Upsilon Chapter at Oklahoma State University (also in the process of a rebuild) to donate their furnishings as well.
“It was rewarding to find end-level nonprofits to give 13,000 square feet of items directly to people in need. I am very proud of that.”
Angela’s leadership is a living example of Tri Delta values of service, self-sacrifice, living boldly and, above all else, lifting others up when it matters most.