Iota Delta Lambda (IDL) of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. was chartered on May 1, 1968. Established during the Fraternity’s period of expansion under General President Walter Washington, IDL was Chicago’s second alumni chapter. As a young chapter, IDL struggled to establish itself in the Chicago community as an innovator in both the communal education and service arenas. After a few years the chapter fell into inactivity.

Since its reactivation in 1980, IDL has maintained and built upon the spirit of innovation that inspired its founding. In 1981, IDL started a youth development initiative addressing adolescent pregnancy prevention from the male perspective called Project Alpha.

Today, Project Alpha is the premier community service program for the entire Fraternity. It is co-sponsored annually with the national March of Dimes Foundation, which raises money to aid in the fight against birth defects in infants around the world.