• Women will live free from all forms of violence and discrimination.
• Women and girls will enjoy enhanced status and will be encouraged to achieve their full potential.
• Women will work in safe environments with opportunities for advancement and pay equity.

The application deadline is 2/15/08. For complete details regarding project requirements or to download an application, please click here. For more information or to obtain an application by mail, contact either Heidi McNamar, Immediate Past Governor, Northeastern Region, 860-568-5000 or Joan Merritt, Governor, Northeastern Region, 860-642-1977. Our mailing address is Soroptimist International Northeastern Region, PO Box 485, Mansfield, CT 06250.

Violet Richardson Award:
Named for the president of the first Soroptimist club, the Violet Richardson Award honors girls who are making a difference through volunteer service. Each year, Soroptimist clubs honor girls who donate their time and energy to causes that make the community and world a better place— such as working to end discrimination and poverty, assisting women and children who are victims of domestic violence, or mentoring young girls. Volunteer actions that benefit women and girls are particularly valued.

The program begins on the Soroptimist club level in which the monetary award is determined by the individual club. Club recipients are then eligible for additional awards at the region level. Each club winner is forwarded for judging on the region level where one winner is chosen to receive a first place award of $1,000 with an additional $1,000 contributed to the charitable organization of the recipient’s choice, both of which are funded by Soroptimist International of the Americas (SIA). The first place region winner is then sent to SIA where one winner is chosen to receive a finalist award, which includes a contribution of $2,500 to the charitable organization of the recipient’s choice.

Women's Opportunity Awards:
This award aids women seeking to improve their economic status by gaining additional skills, training and education. The program offers cash grants to women who, as heads of their households, must enter or return to work in order to support themselves or their families. The Women’s Opportunity Awards program is Soroptimist’s major service project. The program begins at the local Soroptimist club level where the amount of the award is determined by each individual club. Each club winner is then forwarded for judging on the Region level where one winner is chosen to receive a first place award of $5,000, which is funded by Soroptimist International of the Americas (SIA). The first place region winner is then sent to SIA to compete for one of three $10,000 finalist awards.

Soroptimist Grants:
Each year, Soroptimist International awards about $250,000 in Making a Difference for Women grants to more then 40 Soroptimist clubs that are initiating or continuing innovative projects that benefit women and girls. Sample projects include refurbishing domestic violence shelters, providing job training for women in transition, financing legal services for low-income women, furnishing mammograms to women without health insurance, and sponsoring enrichment programs for at-risk girls. Clubs can receive awards between $500-$10,000.

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The Northeastern Region had 100% club participation in the Women's Opportunity Award Program in 2005!!

The Women’s Opportunity Awards program is Soroptimist’s major service project.

The Northeastern Region had 100% club participation in the Violet Richardson Award Program in 2005!

All award forms are in PDF format. To view and/or print them, you will need to download the Adobe Acrobat Reader, if you do not already have it installed. Click the graphic below to go to Adobe's web site for the download...