What we do

Soroptimist's mission is to improve the lives of women and girls, in local communities and throughout the world. In order to accomplish this goal, the organization administers several international programs. The organization's major project is the Soroptimist Women's Opportunity Awards, which assists women by giving them the resources they need to improve their education, skills and job prospects.

As a volunteer organization of business and professional women we feel uniquely qualified to help women and girls live their dreams. It's true that both men and women live in poverty, face discrimination and must overcome obstacles. But throughout history—in every country in the world—women and girls face additional obstacles and discrimination solely because of their gender.

Our fundraising programs

Our fundraising programs benefit everyone in the community, but especially women and children. Basically, we raise money and then give it away, as well as donating time and energy to the community.

Our Club has provided many outstanding services:

• Current primary project: raised over $200,000 in funds for the Jeannette Prandi Children’s Center. The Center is used to interview sexually abused children and to eliminate the trauma of multiple interviews.
• Donated $30,000 to the Pickleweed Park Community Center to establish the Homework Center.
• Donated to Marilyn's Fund and the Penny Jay Fund for breast cancer victims.
• Donated to the Sarah Varon Foundation for Rett Research.
• Donated to the West Coast Post-trauma Retreat Center.
• Donated to the Marin Fire and Life Safety Program.
• Furnished the meeting/recreation room and other donations to the Marin County Abused Women’s Services.
• Volunteer time and donations to the Marin Literacy program.
• Donation of a mobile hearing testing unit and bus to the schools.

• Assisted in the furnishing and redecoration of Whistlestop, a center for Marin County seniors, plus funds for its kitchen.
• Scholarships to teenagers who volunteer in the community and to re-entry women who are the sole support of their dependents.

Some of the international projects which we have been or are involved in are providing safe water for villages in Senegal, setting up a network of clinics for children in Bangladesh, providing vocational training for women in India, Western Samoa and Brazil, and helping victims maimed by landmines by supplying artificial limbs and training people to remove landmines in Laos and in Angola.