About Us
Soroptimist International of Woodland
Who is Soroptimist?
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A service group comprised of women at their best, working to help other women to be their best.
What does Soroptimist do?
​Through volunteer work we provide women and girls with access to the education and training they need to achieve economic empowerment.
Why focus on women and girls?
Educated women and girls are less vulnerable to traffickers, more likely to leave a domestic violence situation and not return, able to access health care, less likely to live in poverty, and able to raise stronger and healthier families.
history
Chartered in 1946, Soroptimist International of Woodland is one of the oldest Soroptimist clubs in Yolo County. This club is a member of District II of the Sierra Nevada Region within the Soroptimist International of the Americas Federation.
The name Soroptimist was coined from the Latin "soror" meaning "sister", and "optima" meaning "best". Soroptimist, loosely translated, means “best for women”. First founded by a group of 80 women in Oakland, California, in 1921, Soroptimist is now an organization of more than 160,000 members, with more than 3,000 clubs in 121 countries and territories around the world. Every day throughout the world, Soroptimists continue their work to achieve the “best for women” in every sphere of their lives.
Soroptimist International is now a worldwide service organization of professional business women working to advance human rights. Soroptimist International also has consultative status with the United Nations' Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), which oversees U.N. activities and policies promoting human rights. Representatives from Soroptimist International can request agenda items, submit written statements for circulation to all members of the council, make oral statements at meetings, and contribute to other U.N. gatherings and seminars. Soroptimist representatives are volunteers and work in one of the seven U.N. centers in New York, Paris, Vienna, Rome, Nairobi, Bangkok, or Geneva. It is in this forum that Soroptimist representatives can advocate for the Soroptimist mission of improving the lives of women and girls.
2023 - 2024
board of directors
A Global Mission
PART OF A LARGER VOLUNTEER MOVEMENT
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Founded in 1921, Soroptimist International is a global volunteer movement with a network of about 160,000 club members in 121 countries.
Soroptimist International of the Americas has about 1,300 clubs in 21 countries and territories who work to economically empower women and girls.
Soroptimist International Sierra Nevada Region represents over 1,600 members in 55 clubs located from Sacramento to Yreka in California and all of the state of Nevada.
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2021-2031 Big Goal: Invest in the dreams of half a million women and girls through access to education.
Through increased education, women will be economically empowered, defined as an improved standard of living for themselves and their dependents.
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Approximately 32,000 women will receive a Live Your Dream Award between 2021-2031.
Success for the Live Your Dream Awards includes the following outcomes for recipients:
• 80% improve the standard of living for themselves and their dependents.
• 95% report an increase in their sense of self-esteem.
• 95% earn or will continue to pursue an educational degree/certification.
• 95% report serving as role models for their dependents.
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Through education and access to role models, girls will be empowered to pursue their career goals and reach their full potential.
Approximately 328,000 girls will participate in Dream It, Be It between 2021-2031.
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Success for Dream It, Be It includes following outcomes for participants:
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• 85% feel prepared to pursue their career goals.
• 85% feel more confident about their future success.
• 80% have tools to overcome obstacles to success.
• 85% can connect personal values with possible careers.
• 85% have professional role models.
• 85% feel comfortable creating achievable goals.
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Other club and region work that increases access to education for women and girls facing obstacles with the ultimate goal of economic empowerment will be counted towards the Big Goal as Big Goal Accelerator Projects! These include scholarships, education awards, training classes, and helping women and girls overcome obstacles by providing items (such as laptops, textbooks, or transportation for school). Approximately 140,000 women and girls will participate in these projects between 2021-2031.