Club email: sitricities@soroptimist.net
Club website: www.soroptimisttricities.org
Chartered in 1999, Soroptimist International of the TriCities serves the communities of Port Moody, Coquitlam and Port Coquitlam. We are part of Soroptimist International; a global volunteer organization of 76,000 working to improve the lives of women and girls through programs leading to social and economic empowerment.
We have a membership of 50 dedicated volunteers, and our community impact has grown enormously since our inception 17 years ago. Our club is solely volunteer-driven, and the Tri Cities Chamber of Commerce honoured us with the prestigious award of Not-for-Profit of the Year in February 2016.
Our mandate is to educate, enable, and empower girls and women. Our broad community impact includes such programs as:
A Warm Place for Women – a monthly event providing meals, friendship, education, clothing and household items to 900+ vulnerable women and their children annually
Bea’s Kloset – a free “store” for vulnerable girls and women leaving foster care and transition homes. Clients have included teen girls aging out of foster care, women leaving transition homes and recovery homes, and families who were victims of fires in our communities.
CABE Lunch and Learn – a monthly mentoring and educational program for at-risk teen girls attending this alternate school. Workshops include teen-sensitive topics like safe relationships, employment opportunities, nutrition, budgeting, stereotyping, body image, self-esteem
Suwa’lkh– a monthly education program for at-risk aboriginal girls, with similar curriculum as the CABE project
Dream it Be It: Career Support for Girls– an educational conference for teen girls, exploring goals and careers, followed up by monthly workshops
Grants for post secondary education ($120,000+ in the past 10 years) awarded to vulnerable women returning to school or outstanding teen girls who volunteer in the community.
Club Diginista – 8 week workshops teaching young girls the basics of coding skills
Walk a Mile – an educational “walk” to encourage societal discussion on issues facing women today (violence, discrimination, etc.…)
And many more – ESL support programs to help newer English speakers, Christmas hampers, monthly social evenings at a local recovery house, ambassadors at Enchantment Night (helping less privileged girls get their prom dresses for free for their graduation nights), supporting refugees in our community, the list could go on.