Soroptimist International Of The Americas Inc Huntingtn Bch
PROGRAMS
Soroptimist International of Huntington Beach Empowering Women & Girls Through Access to Education Leading to Economic Empowerment - Live Your Dream Awards & Dream It, Be It Program
Soroptimist International of Huntington Beach participates in the two signature programs of Soroptimist International of the Americas: The Live Your Dream Awards, a cash grant given to a woman, head of household, with at least one dependent who is accepted into or enrolled in an undergraduate program, a trade or vocational school or a certification program. Our club gives 14 awards at $1500 each plus sponsors a program honoring our awardees and featuring past awardees that is open to the public. The cost of this program to the club is approximately $2500 as we do not charge the awardees or their children. In addition to the cash grant, each awardee receives a small gift. The second signature program that Soroptimist Huntington Beach participates in is Dream It, Be It Career Support for Girls who face obstacles to success. We partner with another club to bring this 7-8 week program at a continuation high school and we also deliver this program to 6th, 7th and 8th grade girls at Higher Ground OC in Anaheim. In the past we have delivered this program to the Olive Crest Transitional Housing Program and hope to do so again in the future. The cost of administering this program which includes gift cards to those who complete the program is approximately $1000. The budget for these two programs is below.
Our Live Your Dream awardees have gone on to 4 year colleges obtaining bachelor's, master's and even PhD degrees. The girls who have gone through our Dream It Be It Program say they are more confident about their future success, have created achievable goals for the future and are more prepared to pursue their career goals.
The Dolly Wakeham Memorial Grant Fund Program & The Dream Beyond Program
Soroptimist International of Huntington Beach adopts 4 single moms who are enrolled in an undergraduate program, trade or vocational school or certification program for our fiscal year (July 1-June 30). Partially funded by the interest from a trust fund, the goal of this program is to assist them with unknown expenses, like car repairs or putting a child into an extracurricular activity, furnish them with gas cards and essential non food items, like toilet paper, paper towels & laundry detergent monthly and to make every holiday and special occasion a joyous one for them and their children. At Christmas these moms fill out wish lists for themselves and their kids which the members of the club and the club itself try to fulfill as best we can. Soroptimist International of Huntington Beach also adopts 2 current or past (within 2 years) Live Your Dream awardees who are enrolled in an undergraduate program, trade or vocational school or certification program for our fiscal year (July 1-June 30). The goal of this program, like the Dolly Wakeham Memorial Grant Program, is to assist them with unknown expenses, like car repairs or putting a child into an extracurricular activity, furnish them with gas cards and essential non food items, like toilet paper, paper towels & laundry detergent monthly and to make every holiday and special occasion a joyous one for them and their children. At Christmas these moms fill out wish lists for themselves and their kids which the members of the club and the club itself try to fulfill as best we can.
These moms, who may or may not be former or current Live Your Dream Awardees, say that this program gives them a sense of family that they may not have had growing up. We even had one mom tell us that she never had any presents under the tree for herself but always made sure her kids had something.
Women's Empowerment Scholarships & Project Self Sufficiency Scholarship
Soroptimist International of Huntington Beach gives 3 scholarships to the following community colleges: Golden West (Huntington Beach), Coastline (Fountain Valley) and Orange Coast (Costa Mesa). We give each college our criteria and select our awardee based on the applications we are given to read. We also give a $1200 scholarship to a single mom, attending school, who is is the Project Self Sufficiency Program.
Many of our scholarship awardees have gone on to become Live Your Dream awardees. In 2021, the woman who received our Women's Empowerment Scholarship, became our top 2021-22 Live Your Dream awardee and was submitted to our region of 36 clubs. She became the top region honoree and was submitted to our federation, Soroptimist International of the Americas which is composed of 19 countries & territories. She received one of three federation awards, out of 80 applicants. The process and the amount of the awards in total was life-changing for her, a child who grew up in the foster system, a survivor of human trafficking, domestic violence and homelessness whose dream is to become an attorney working on changing public policy that affects chldren aging out of the foster care system.
Day of Empowerment
The Day of Empowerment began over 15 years ago with 2 guests and 2 volunteers, myself and one other club member. Now, in partnership with the Assistance League of Huntington Beach, this special day for 20 to 25 women, begins with a continental breakfast, includes a $100 shopping spree (for themselves) in the Assistance League Thrift Store, hair & make services, donated by professionals and students working side-by-side, an educational workshop, lunch (provided by Jersey Mike's), sharing and a "Swag Bag." It also includes free, offside, licensed child care for up to 28 children and which is paid for by our club.
These women, many of the Live Your Dream awardees from our club and other clubs, many survivors of human trafficking, feel as though this is a "safe space" to talk about themselves and the obstacles they have overcome. There is a strong feeling of community which lasts longer than one day. 100% of those who have attended the Day of Empowerment say that their self-esteem has increased 100 -fold.
Stop Human Trafficking
Huntington Beach has a large number of women who are active in helping to put an end to modern day slavery (aka human trafficking) in Orange County and beyond. Many of us are certified Level 3/4 through Waymakers, attend monthly Orange County Human Trafficking Committee meetings, work with the Salvation Army to decorate safe houses for the fall and for Christmas, volunteer at survivor graduations, host monthly virtual survivor meetings and work with other like-minded organizations.
About six months ago, SI Huntington Beach, along with Si Newport Harbor Area, SI Westminster and SI Los Angeles formed a three county (Orange, Los Angeles & Ventura) coalition to help stamp out modern day slavery in southern California. In January, National Human Trafficking Awareness Month, we hosted a joint program in the Meeting Room at the Assistance League. Approximately 80 attended in person with another 20 or so virtual. The keynote speaker was Joe Baldo, founder of Higher Ground OC. Also, in January, our club along with other clubs attended an event at Cal State Fullerton that was four middle school children to teach them about healthy relationships as well as human trafficking. There were approximately 350 middle school children from Anaheim, Santa Ana and Fullerton in attendance and 30 resource organizations, including ours, Soroptimist Together Against Trafficking.
CONTACT
Soroptimist International Of The Americas Inc Huntingtn Bch
212 utica ave
Huntington Beach, CA 92648
Phone: 7142719305