Live Your Dream

You are eligible if you are a woman who:

• Provides the primary financial support for yourself    and your dependents. Dependents can include            children, spouse, partner, siblings and/or parents.

• Has financial need.

• Is enrolled in or has been accepted to

   a vocational/skills training program or an undergraduate degree program.

• Is motivated to achieve your education and career goals.

• Has not previously been the recipient of a Soroptimist Women’s Opportunity or Live Your Dream     Award.

• Does not have a graduate degree.

• Is not a Soroptimist member, an employee of Soroptimist International of the Americas or                    immediate family of either.

• Has a Social Security number or Tax ID number. (This is required for tax purposes and is only            necessary if you are a resident of the United States. You will not be asked to share this information    unless you have been given an award.)

Applications are being accepted through December 1st.  For application form, click here.  For references form, click here.  If you need more information, send us an email with your name and phone number and we'll be quick to give you a call.  Money is currently available from a number of Skagit Valley clubs.  Please, please, please pass this information on to anyone who may be eligible.

Soroptimist Women's Opportunity Award Gets New Name!

2014 Award Winners!

SI Fidalgo Island is proud to announce our Award Winners for 2014.

Meet Carol Olsen, Karen Gallardo and Ashley Wade - three amazing women who make our club and community proud!

Ashley Wade (being hugged by member Trish Rodriguez) is the recipient of the Womens Opportunity Award - an award designed to give heads of households the resources they need to improved their education, skills, and employment prospects.  Ashley manages a Cruizin Coffee, as well as attending Skagit Valley College and aiding her disabled mother and hopes to move into a career in health care.

Karen Gallardo received the Violet Richardson Award; named after the president of the first Soroptimist Club, this award honors girls for volunteer service in their community. Karen is a sophomore at Anacortes High School and hopes to be a teacher.  Among her many community services, she is a dedicated volunteer with the Boys and Girls Club who share her award.  (Pictured here with mom Alex and SIFI President, Diane Goetz.)

The Soroptimist Ruby Award honors women who improve and lives of women and girls through their professional and volunteer work.  We are proud to honor Carol Olsen, the Anacortes Chapter Director of Days for Girls International.  This grassroots organization has the ambitious goal of providing sustainable sanitary products; their tagline - Every Girl. Everywhere. Period. Her chapter is responsible for 110,000 hygiene kits that have been sent to 69 countries!

Our hearty congratulations, Ladies!  You ROCK!

Now accepting applications!

The Soroptimist Women’s Opportunity Awards give women the resources they need to improve their education, skills, and employment prospects. Eligible applicants must be women who provide the primary financial support for their families, and who are enrolled in or have been accepted to a vocational/skills training program or an undergraduate degree program.

Each year, Soroptimist clubs in 19 countries and territories assist women in overcoming personal difficulties and bettering their lives through education and skills training. The women may use the cash award to offset any costs associated with their efforts to attain higher education, including books, childcare and transportation.

 The program begins on the local club level, where award amounts vary. Club recipients become eligible to receive region-level awards, which are granted through Soroptimist’s 28 geographic regions. Currently, each Soroptimist region grants one first-place award for $5,000. (Note: most regions grant additional $3,000 awards.) The 28 first–place recipients then become eligible to receive one of three $10,000 finalist awards.

If you or someone you know would like to apply please click here for an application. In addition to your applications you will need to submit two references - the reference form is available here.  All applications must be submitted before December 15, 2013.