Greetings!

Welcome to the official website of the Dayton Chapter of The Links, Incorporated!

We are moving from the grip of the COVID pandemic, which will ultimately claim its place as one of the worst disasters in global history, having disrupted our community’s sense of safety and normalcy while pulling back the veil on social and racial injustice. Yet, increasing Dayton Chapter of The Links, Incorporated’s conviction about and commitment to the youth and families in our area. We expanded our community service and programming despite facing the social distancing and fundraising difficulties wreaked by the longevity of the pandemic.

This is a unique time to serve as the President of our chapter and I stand in that role proudly as we continue to boldly face down the challenges of this untimely natural disaster. We are standing up to it in the same way that our national founders, Margaret Roselle Hawkins and Sarah Strickland Scott took action in 1946 to stand up for those in need and organized an entity that improved their community by providing educational, civic, and inter-cultural activities.

Their dream now activates more than 16,000 women of African descent across 50 states, the Bahamas, and the UK.  Their dream captured the interest of a similar group of women in Dayton, Ohio on May 28, 1949. They conceived the collective focus on five programmatic areas which we have threaded into a community program that still gives youngsters expanded access to educational attainment, health awareness, fine art appreciation, national trends, and international knowledge. 

We curate information through research, speakers, hands-on activities, lecturettes, games, and field trips. Many of our activities operate in partnership with community stakeholders, such as Dayton Public Schools, the Dayton Art Institute, the Dayton Philharmonic, Vectren Foundation, Montgomery County, KeyBank, Premier Healthcare, Buckeye Trails Girl Scout Council, and numerous other public and private partners who share our priorities and commitment to the elevation of the Arts, Services to Youth, Health and Human Services, National and International Trends.

Our signature program, entitled "Emerald Dreambox,” supplies the twenty-five elementary school participants with access to scheduled and data-informed activities that complement their education, cultural growth, and social-emotional learning. We have received local and national recognition for our programming, including a Lifetime Achievement Award from the YWCA of Dayton; only one of three organizations to ever receive this recognition.

Our primary source of pride emanates from our collective impact which is driven by our commitment to our members through our sense of Sisterhood; Black Women working together to promote service, innovation, and dedicated servant leadership as we execute with professionalism, excellence, and precision to ensure we continue to honor the 75-year legacy of our Founders and the needs of our community.

Our site is designed to provide you with information about our community-based programming and events. I invite you to browse and learn more about our programs and services designed to serve the needs of the Dayton community and surrounding areas.

Thank you for visiting and come again!

Helen Jones-Kelley, President

Dayton Chapter of The LInks, Incorporated