Friday, July 30, 2010
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Soroptimist clubs identify the individual needs of their communities and undertake local projects tailored to meet those needs. Often, Soroptimist clubs unite — be it across state, provincial or national boundaries — to work on joint projects that provide direct assistance to women and girls.


The Soroptimist International 2008 - 2011 Quadrennial Project partners with Hope and Homes for children, Project Sierra-a family and a future. The project provides to help disadvantaged women and children in Sierra Leone face their futures with confidence.


December 10th is United Nations Rights Day. Each year, in honour of this day, the SI president invites all Soroptimists to join her in making a personal sacrifice and donating the money to an international fund to help those living in extreme poverty. The 2009 President's Appeal, which is called Hopes and Dreams for Everyone, is a partnership with the International Organization for Migration and the Child Rights Information Centre in Moldova to protect vulnerable Moldovan girls with life-skills education and sustainable living conditions.


Workplace Campaign to End Domestic Violence
Preventing and eliminating domestic violence is a Soroptimist focus. Each year, Soroptimist promotes participation in an event on November 25 (the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women) that targets domestic violence as a workplace concern. Since 1997, the Soroptimist Workplace Campaign to End Domestic Violence has consisted of club members distributing cards in the workplace that contain domestic violence hotline information. Clubs also create awareness and work to end domestic violence by directly supporting shelters, advocating for legal protections, and helping abuse survivors to rebuild their lives.
View the PDF about this campaign.

Soroptimist Club Grants for Women and Girls
The organization awards annually in Soroptimist Club Grants to Soroptimist clubs that are initiating or continuing innovative projects that benefit women and girls. Sample projects include providing job training and mentoring for survivors of domestic violence; helping impoverished women to learn income- generating skills; establishing health clinics for women and girls in developing nations; hosting forums on the sexual trafficking of women and girls; and teaching girls about careers in nontraditional fields.


  • Soroptimist International of Edmonton strongly advocates against Human Trafficking Campaign as a sponsor of The Alberta Symposium on Human Trafficking (Red Deer, October 2007).

  • Women's Emergency Accommodation Center

  • Compassion House

  • Candora Society

  • WINGS of Providence

  • Women Building Futures

  • Society Alberta Cancer Foundation / The Weekend to End Breast Cancer

  • E4C School Lunch Program.

  • Agape Orphanage Foundation



The Soroptimist Ruby Award: For Women Helping Women acknowledges women who, through their personal or professional activities, work to improve the lives of women and girls. The work of these women helps to promote the issues that are important to the Soroptimist organization. Honorees are ordinary women who have worked in extraordinary ways to benefit women and girls.

The program enables local Soroptimist clubs and the Soroptimist organization to thank these women and encourage others to explore ways to assist women and girls. The program begins on the club level, where the type of recognition varies. Award winners at the club level are eligible for additional awards at other levels of the organization . The finalist receives a $5000 donation to the charity of her choice.

Women who are improving the lives of other women or girls through their professional or personal activities are eligible for the Soroptimist Ruby Award. These women have identified and focused on a need in their communities, which has significantly contributed to the improvement of women and girls’ lives.

Please forward names of women you believe may be eligible for this award to www.siedmonton.org by November 30, 2009

Women’s Opportunity Awards
The Women's Opportunity Awards program is Soroptimist's major service project. The awards improve the lives of women by giving them the resources they need to improve their education, skills and employment prospects. Each year, more than $1million is dispersed through this program. For more information, please contact Meta Flemke.

Violet Richardson Award
The Violet Richardson Award is a recognition program for young women ages 14-17 engaged in volunteer action within their communities or schools. For more information, please contact Meta Flemke.