February Soroptimist Summary

SIA

Save the Date!

SIA’s 46th Biennial Convention is July 22-25, 2020, in beautiful Bellevue, Washington, USA. Meet the group of Soroptimists/committee chairs who have partnered with headquarters staff to make this an incredible event you won’t want to miss. See what they’re most looking forward to about convention—we hope it will inspire you to begin making plans to attend!

You Spoke, We Listened

After we launched our completely redesigned, responsive website, users commented about slow loading times. We researched and held discussions with our website developers, and learned we needed a different server solution to accommodate our more robust site. We successfully moved to a cloud-based server and the overall site performance is now much faster. We hope you are enjoying your new, improved—and faster—site.

Board Meeting

Read the summary to learn about significant actions taken by your SIA Board at its January meeting in Philadelphia.

Year-end infographic

SIA’s year-end infographic is now available in all languages! Visit the Translated Resources page, then look under the Federation Information section for the downloadable PDF. A direct link to the English version is here. Read, enjoy and celebrate our many successes in FY2017-2018!

Registered Trademarks

Did you know that both the “Soroptimist” name and “S” logo are registered trademarks? The logo should include the trademark symbol ® at all times. In the written form, the symbol ® should always accompany the word Soroptimist® on first reference, but can be omitted in following references. SIA allows current members, clubs and regions to use its current marks on stationery, printed matter, and other non-commercial materials. Because they are registered trademarks, these marks should be used exactly as they appear and should not be changed or altered, other than enlarged or reduced in size. This is not a new rule—just a reminder so we can all be consistent when promoting the Soroptimist brand. For more information, read the Policy for Use of SIA Registered Trademarks.

Central East Coast Region

On February 1, South Atlantic Region was reorganized and renamed Central East Coast Region. This action culminates in work the region’s leadership team has undertaken to ensure the region is part of SIA’s group exemption. The 2018-2020 Central East Coast Region Board of Directors looks forward to changing times and the opportunity to work with all members in its newly reorganized region. In May, the region will hold the Annual Central East Coast Region Conference. As Governor Deborah Mackes noted in her message to the region’s members, “Our journey to help women and girls will continue to allow all of us to enjoy exciting times ahead that this new and fresh start will give us.”

Soroptimist Store

New! Gold S Pendant Necklace with Colored Stone
Check out this colorful, unique necklace featuring a gold “S” pendant (item #115). This pendant, backed by blue marbleized stone, has a 17″ black rope chain and features a 2″ extension chain—allowing you to choose your favorite length. Act now and wait for the compliments to roll in!

Membership

Grow Our Team!

Show your Soroptimist pride and joy by sharing this customizable advertisement/flyer that welcomes prospects to join us in our important mission! Simply add in your club’s contact information, print them out and then post (with permission) around your community. Translated versions are available on each Soroptimist Diamond Campaign page by language.

Collaborate for Success

Are you looking for a way to involve more members in your club activities? Consider adopting a collaborative approach that creates an inclusive environment where everyone’s knowledge and creativity are put to good use. Check out this tip to get members working together today!

Program

Next Step

By working together, we achieved exciting growth for our Dream Programs in 2017-2018. Check out the Dream It, Be It and Live Your Dream Award infographics! Visit the Translated Resources page, then look under the Live Your Dream Awards and Dream It, Be It sections for translated versions of each downloadable PDF. Then share our impact with your club and community.

Soroptimist Club Grants

Check out these tips for applying and then submit an application by March 1 for a Soroptimist Club Grant. Your club can request financial support from US$500–US$5,000 for projects that focus on women and girls who have faced obstacles. Soroptimist Club Grants are a great resource to expand the impact of the Live Your Dream Awards for award recipients (such as additional education or training, mentoring, or job assistance), to begin a Dream It, Be It project, or to add a new dimension to an existing project.

Development

Make Twice the Difference with Matching Gifts

Each month, Arlene Bell (SI/Suburban Essex, NJ, in North Atlantic Region) makes twice the difference in the lives of women and girls. For more than seven years, Arlene has been a monthly donor—and for several of those years, the company she works for has matched every gift, dollar for dollar! Arlene says, “In seven short years, I have already achieved Diplomat Status and am almost at Ambassador status [in the Laurel Society]!”

When we asked Arlene why she thinks monthly giving is so important, she responded, “Without monthly giving Soroptimist would not be able to help [nearly as many] women and girls throughout the world!”

Join Arlene as a monthly donor, and become part of this amazing group of Soroptimists who give to change the lives of women and girls.

Public Awareness

Social Media Resources

Social media is a great way to raise awareness about how we support women and girls throughout our 21 countries and territories. For clubs new to social media, looking for tips on how to manage your social media pages, or wanting information about SIA’s social media policies, check out the social media guide in the Recognition and Branding section of the SIA website.

LYD.org

Mentoring is great way to pass on experience and knowledge within an organization. Traditionally, a seasoned person serves as a mentor to a younger person. BUT what happens when you shift the concept into reverse? Find out more about build a bridge between generations with reverse mentoring.

Soroptimist Summary

 

Soroptimist Progress in FY17-18

Please share our progress with members. Click here to view SIA’s progress and accomplishments for FY17/18.

46th Biennial Convention

SIA’s 46th biennial convention in Bellevue,  Washington, USA, will be here before you know it. Save the dates, July 22-25, 2020, and stay tuned for additional information!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Read more

 

Welcome New Members

Thank you for joining women of all ages, cultures and ethnic groups who work together to improve the lives of women and girls through programs leading to social and economic empowerment. As a Soroptimist, we know you are a leader in your community who believes in making a difference. Check out the information below in order to learn more about who we are, what we do, and why joining us was a great decision!

 


Get to Know Us

Our Impact

Check out the impact of our Dream Programs and the local work of our clubs from around the world.

Soroptimist Progress in FY16/17

Thanks to the dedicated work of our Soroptimist clubs and members, and the support of our generous donors and supporters, Soroptimist accomplished much in the last year. We are proud to share highlights of our efforts in this report.

2016-2017 Annual Report

Organizational Videos

Check out the impact of our Dream Programs and the local work of our clubs from around the world.

WATCH VIDEOS

Soroptimist 101

Everything you need to know about Soroptimist.

Download PDF

 


How Your Contributions Are Used

Soroptimist relies on gifts from clubs, members and other supporters to fund its life-changing Dream Programs.

LEARN MORE

Founders Pennies FAQ

Each year, Soroptimist clubs make Founders Pennies donations to celebrate the founding of our organization and support its global Dream Programs. Founders Pennies are a classic, time-honored tradition for clubs, and a creative way to help fund life changing programs. Founders Pennies help create a local and global relationship between Soroptimist clubs and members, and the women and girls who need our support.

How are Founders Pennies used?

Founders Pennies are used to fund the Live Your Dream Awards, Dream It, Be It, and other SIA programs that improve the lives of women and girls in local communities and throughout the world. Founders Pennies represent approximately 10 percent of the total $1.7 million contributed to fund federation programs.

How are Founders Pennies calculated?

Founders Pennies are set at $.06 per member times the number of years that SIA has been in existence. (1921)
For the 2016 club year, $.06 x 95 years = $5.70 per member.
2016 = $5.70 per member
2017 = $5.76 per member
2018 = $5.82 per member

Who gives Founders Pennies?

Founders Pennies are remitted to headquarters by each participating club. Clubs collect the pennies from their members in a variety of ways and usually submit them with club dues.

When did the tradition of Founders Pennies begin?

The tradition of giving pennies began in 1943. Clubs collected one penny for each year of Soroptimist’s existence and used the money to help re‐establish clubs in Europe that had disbanded as a result of pre‐World War II political conditions and the war itself. In 1946 the fund was renamed the Founders Fund. This fund provided international fellowships, scholarships and other awards to improve the status of women. Beginning in the 1960s, Founders Pennies began funding for the Youth Citizenship Awards, and now the Live Your Dream Awards.

Are Founders Pennies mandatory?

Founders Pennies are a voluntary contribution from Soroptimist members remitted to headquarters by clubs. As with all contributions, Founders Pennies are not mandatory.

What kind of recognition is given for Founders Pennies contributions?

Regions are awarded a certificate of appreciation when all clubs in the region contribute to Founders Pennies between June 1 and May 31. Contributions for recognition are based on the number of members on record at headquarters as of the end of the recognition period (May 31).

SIA’s Big Goal

As Soroptimist approaches its 100th birthday in 2021, we are working to define our next century. Our first Big Goal exercise identified “Invest in the dreams of half a million women and girls through access to education” as our Big Goal to guide our work from 2021-2031.

Our second Big Goal exercise identified specific steps to prepare for our next Big Goal. Our third Big Goal exercise will identify members’ feedback and support of our next Big Goal—results are coming soon!

SIA’s Big Goal Update


An update on SIA’s 2012-2021 Big Goal: Increased Collective Impact, plus steps for our next Big Goal: Investing in the Lives of Half a Million Women and Girls Through Access to Education.

Download PDF

日本語 (Japanese coming soon!)
台灣 (Chinese)
한국어 (Korean) 
Español (Spanish)
Português (Portuguese)

Working as One

This club planning tool is another invitation to clubs to participate in our change process. The fun, interactive exercise will enable clubs to examine the projects that take time and resources to ensure they are helping us achieve our current and next Big Goal.

Soroptimist International of Chico