Organizational Profile
Soroptimist, a 501(c)(3) organization headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, offers programs that improve social and economic conditions for women and girls. Programs include the Women’s Opportunity Awards, which provides cash grants for head-of-household women seeking to improve their lives with the help of additional education and training. Each year, more than $1 million is disbursed through this award-winning program. In recognition of the power of women and their dreams, Soroptimist also sponsors the Live Your Dream campaign. Visit the campaign's online home at: <www.liveyourdreamcampaign.org>. Visit Soroptimist’s main site at <www.soroptimist.org> to learn more about the organization and its work on behalf of the world’s women and girls.

Organizational Mission
Soroptimist’s mission is to improve the lives of women and girls, in local communities and throughout the world.

Initiatives to Prevent and End Domestic Violence

• Soroptimist Workplace Campaign to End Domestic Violence – In 1994, Soroptimist formally adopted the prevention of domestic violence as a major focus. Currently, Soroptimists participate in an annual event designed to focus attention on domestic violence as a workplace concern. Each year, on November 25 (the International Day to Eliminate Violence Against Women), Soroptimist members distribute thousands of purple cards (the color associated with domestic violence) containing domestic abuse prevention information and hotline numbers. This campaign reaches out to women in the workplace, since most domestic abuse victims are employed outside the home, and violence at home often spills over into the workplace. In 2002, the campaign received an International Advocacy/Policy Achievement award from the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE) Associations Make a Better World program. In 2006, Soroptimist adopted domestic violence guidelines into its personnel policies as a way to provide support to employees who may be victims of domestic violence. In addition, Soroptimist members work together to target businesses in their local communities that do not already have domestic violence workplace policies and help them institute such policies.
  
  
• Domestic Violence Prevention Grants – In 2001, Soroptimist awarded $30,000 in grants to agencies in Paraguay, the Philippines and Ecuador that provide information and assistance to women who are victims of domestic violence. Soroptimist targeted specific areas to help close the gap between countries and geographic areas that have victim services and those that don't. The funds have been used to stabilize the organizations' ongoing projects while helping them carry out new initiatives to assist women.
  
  
• Soroptimist Women's Opportunity Awards – Soroptimist addresses the economic component that often forces women to stay in abusive situations—and the lack of resources available to these women once they do leave—through its Women's Opportunity Awards program. This program provides cash grants to women who must obtain additional job training or education to realize their goal of economic independence. Each year, more than $1 million in Women's Opportunity Awards help women enter or return to the work force in order to support themselves and their families. Although the program is open to all head-of-household women demonstrating financial need, many Women's Opportunity Award recipients are domestic violence survivors. In 2007 the program received the Associations Advance America Summit Award—ASAE & The Center for Association Leadership’s highest level of recognition.
  
  
• Soroptimist Club Grants – Many Soroptimist clubs provide direct assistance to local domestic violence shelters in their communities. Through the Soroptimist Club Grants for Women and Girls program, clubs can receive grants (in amounts ranging from $1,000–$10,000) for initiating or continuing innovative local projects that benefit women and girls. Many of these grants are awarded for local domestic violence projects. Soroptimist funds about $175,000 annually in club grants. The program was named overall winner of ASAE & The Center for Association Leadership’s 2007 Associations Make a Better World award.
  
  
• September 11th Disaster Recovery – After ensuring that victims of the September 11th terrorist attacks and their families were provided for, Soroptimist donated $40,000 in disaster recovery funds to four lower Manhattan agencies that work to prevent and eliminate domestic violence. The New York Association for New Americans (NYANA) Center for Women and Families, the New York Asian Women's Center (NYAWC), Sanctuary for Families, and Barrier Free Living each received a $10,000 grant to help restore services that were negatively affected as a result of the attacks in New York City. In 2002, additional donations of more than $44,000 were made to NYANA and NYAWC to ensure continued and effective service to all clients, bringing the total contributions to about $84,000.
  
  
• Soroptimist Club Projects – Many Soroptimist clubs throughout the world work on local projects that seek to prevent or end domestic violence. Projects include building and refurbishing domestic violence shelters, mentoring shelter residents and providing skills training classes to survivors.