SOROPTIMIST GRANTS $7,000 GRANT TO HELP COMMUNITY AFFECTED BY DEVASTATING FIRE

April 18, 2008
Contact: Kamali Brooks, Public Relations Manager
215-893-9000 x130, kamali@soroptimist.org 

PHILADELPHIA, Pa.—Soroptimist International of the Americas, an international volunteer organization for business and professional women dedicated to improving the lives of women and girls, presented a $7,000 disaster relief grant to its club in Siasi, Philippines, to provide women and girls with needed medications, clothing and financial aid to repair their houses, which were destroyed by a fire that devastated the community.

According to Siasi Soroptimist club’s president, Shirley H. Que, the situation in her town resulted in women and girls flocking to evacuating centers, such as school buildings, with nothing to eat. “The girls, including pregnant women, got sick after a number of days in the evacuating centers,” Que said. Non-government organizations provided food, clothing and medicine but there is still a shortage due to the large number of evacuees.

The fire affected 500 houses and displaced 7,000 residents. The death toll reached three, while at least 15 people—including two soldiers helping in the evacuation—were injured. The fire is the second to hit the area in the past two months. An initial investigation showed that the fire started from a stall selling gasoline, and quickly spread to nearby shops and houses made from wood. The lack of water, remoteness of the area and strong winds contributed to the difficulty in distinguishing the fire.

Soroptimist’s disaster relief grants, which range from $1,000 to $20,000, assist women who have been victims of natural disasters or acts of war. Soroptimist has long been concerned about the disproportionate effects of disasters on women and girls. In addition to providing the Disaster Relief Grants, Soroptimist recently funded a research study conducted by the Institute for Women’s Policy Research (IWPR), titled “Women in the Wake of the Storm: Examining the Post-Katrina Realities of the Women of New Orleans and the Gulf Coast.” The study found that women faced and continue to confront special challenges to their health, safety, and economic wellbeing in the lingering aftermath of hurricane Katrina; that women were at an increased risk of exposure to sexual assault and domestic violence; and that they encounter greater economic hurdles when rebuilding their lives.

 “Women and girls are particularly vulnerable during disasters. They lack mobility and access to resources, have increased family responsibilities, and are susceptible to physical danger,” said Soroptimist’s executive director, Leigh Wintz, CAE. “Soroptimist's disaster relief program mitigates the barriers facing women and girls during disasters, making it easier for them to get the resources they need to survive.”

Headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Soroptimist is an international volunteer organization for business and professional women who work to improve the lives of women and girls, in local communities and throughout the world. Programs include the Soroptimist Women’s Opportunity Awards, which provide cash grants for head-of-household women seeking to improve their lives with the help of education and training. Each year, more than $1 million is disbursed through this award-winning program. Soroptimist also sponsors the Live Your Dream campaign in recognition of the power of women and their dreams. Visit the campaign's online home at: <LliveYourDreamCampaign.org>. A 501(c)(3) organization, Soroptimist is a recipient of the Pennsylvania Association of Nonprofit Organizations’ Seal of Excellence. For more information on how Soroptimist improves the lives of women and girls, visit <Soroptimist.org>.

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