Soroptimist International of Billings, Best for Women

Improving the lives of women & girls
in local communities and throughout the world.

Soroptimist International of Billings
& Our Fund Raising Events A Night of Wine and Roses

Soroptimist Programme Focus

Vision: Soroptimist International is a vibrant, dynamic organization for today's professional and business women.
We are committed to a world where women and girls together achieve their individual and collective potential, realise aspirations and have an equal voice in creating strong, peaceful communities worldwide.

Mission: Through International partnerships and a global network of members, Soroptimists inspire actions and create opportunities to transform the lives of women and girls by: advocating for equity and equality; creating safe and healthy environments; increasing access to education; developing leadership and practical skills for a sustainable future.

Programme Focus Goals:
Soroptimists will ensure that women and girls

	enjoy equity and equality
	live in safe and healthy environments
	have access to education
	have leadership and practical skills

United Nations
Milennium Development Goals
Soroptimist International supports all eight United Nations Milennium Development Goals, targeted by the United Nations for achievement by 2015. Particular focus will be given to Goal 3 that Soroptimist will achieve through strategic
Awareness, Advocacy and Action
1. Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger
2. Achieve universal primary education
3. Promote gender equality and empower women
4. Reduce child mortality
5. Improve maternal health
6. Combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases
7. Ensure environmental sustainability
8. Develop a global partnership for development

Programme Focus Objectives
1. Eliminate poverty and gender discrimination through ensuring women's full social and economic rights
(Economic and Social Development)
2. End human trafficing and all forms of violence against women and girls
(Human Rights and the Status of Women)
3. Ensure access to health care for women and girls
(Health)
4. Support programmes and policies that eliminate HIV / AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis and other major diseases
(Health)
5. Improve access to clean water, sanitation and essential food resources
(Environment)
6. Mitigate the effects of climate change and integrate sustainability into personal choices and government policies and programmes
(Environment)
7. EMeet the needs of women and girls during and after armed conflicts and disasters
(International Goodwill and Understanding)
8. Promote peaceful conflict resolution, inter-cultural and inter-racial tolerance and condemn genocide and terrorism
(International Goodwill and Understanding)
9. Ensure equal access to education and training for women and girls throughout their lifespan
(Education)
10. EAssure women's advancement in management, policies and decision-making
(Economic and Social Development)
Numbering not in order of priority

Implementation of the Programme Focus Objectives
The most important activity for Soroptimist International clubs is the Programme of Service they undertake.
We Need each of you to achieve our goals: federation, clubs and Soroptimist International share important roles in the implementation process.
Federations:
Develop strategies to achieve Soroptimist International Programme Focus objectives and promote these strategies to the federation's unions, regions, clubs and Members.
Clubs:
Review the Soroptimist International Programme Focus objectives and their Federation's strategies and determine the objectives they will work on.
Report their awareness, advocavy and action activities on Programme Focus Reports and submit them to Soroptimist International and their federation (online Program Focus reporting).
Soroptimist International:
Analyses information from the federations and clubs and report worldwide progress towards meeting the Programme Focus Objectives.
Shares information about Soroptimis work with other non-governmental organisations and the global community.

	Community Supported Projects Through the Years: Soroptimist projects are supported through financial assistance and volunteer time!
	• Club Identifying Projects: - BRIGHTEYES program provides nutritional snacks and meals to school children of families with food insecurities. - "Baby Think It Over" teen pregnancy prevention program
	• Soroptimist One-To-One - Helping individuals in our community
	• Deering Clinic - Breast Cancer Screening
	• Northern Rockies Radiation Oncology Center
	• ZooMontana!
	• Young Artist's Awards and Scholarship
	The mission of Soroptimists’ Young Artist’s Program is to promote and encourage the visual arts at the high school level. In addition to providing art students a positive experience, Young Artist’s Program provides them with an opportunity for recognition as an artist in the community, while utilizing their talents for the benefit of the community. The students art, accepted in all mediums, will be showcased at the Yellowstone Art Museum. The Young Artist’s Program was initiated in 1996 and is open to all high school art students residing in Yellowstone County & surrounding areas. The Young Artist’s competition provides the art students the opportunity to receive financial recognition of their talents. The student winning art is then showcased at Soroptimist fund raiser "A Night of Wine and Roses", where their work is sold for the benefit of the community. Cash Prizes of $500, $250 & $100 are awarded to the students. Also $1,000 Scholarship will be awarded to one student participating in YAP, to further their art education. All participating teachers receive a chance on a drawing for $250.00 for art supplies for their classroom. More about Young Artist's Program
		• Northern Rockies Caner Treatment Center Bought the first linear accelerator The Century Club The Cancer Center Library • Horizon Home Built & supported by Soroptimist Bikes for the residents • Montana State Women's Prison Mother Read Program Toastmasters Felonious Forum Gavel Club District 4 Book Drive • The Family Tree Center • Senior Helping Hands • Angel Horses • The Rimrock Humane Society • Yellowstone County Spay & Neuter • Dress For Success • Women's and Family Shelter • Gateway House
	Regional Supported Projects
	• Race for the Cure - Breast and Cervical Cancer Awareness and Prevention
	• Imagine Life Without Violence Informational Brochure and the fact sheet.
	• Grant of Friendship
	• Fellowship Award - This monetary award supports women residing in the Northwestern Region who are returning to school for postgraduate study in an accredited college or university leading to an advanced degree (Masters or Ph.D.).
	Soroptimist International of the Americas - Federation Supported Projects

	• Violet Richardson Award: The Violet Richardson Award is a recognition program for young women ages 14-17 engaged in volunteer action within their communities or schools. It is given to young women whose volunteer activities make the community and world a better place. The award is in honor of the president of the first Soroptimist club, Violet Richardson, a woman of action, whose indomitable spirit and sense of personal responsibility were demonstrated by her lifelong commitment to volunteering in her community. All awards are given for activities conducted on a volunteer basis. Projects that benefit women or girls are especially valued. Projects can include, but are not limited to mentoring, sexual harassment, sexual decision-making, teen parenting, careers, finances and any other projects that specifically benefit women, young women or girls. This award is based solely on her volunteer work. This award is an opportunity to honor a girl who might not otherwise receive recognition. She may not be the best student, the best athlete, or the most popular girl in school, but she is committed to making the world a better place. Who is the Violet Richardson Award Honoree? • A young woman who is caring, compassionate, creative and most of all committed to making the world a better place. • A young woman who has demonstrated initiative in both identifying a problem and in trying to solve it. • A young woman who has had significant and noteworthy accomplishments as a volunteer. Violet Richardson Award Application
	• Women's Opportunity Award: Soroptimist’s major service project, aids women seeking to improve their economic status by gaining additional skills, training and education. The program helps women who, as the primary wage earners for their families, must improve their employment status by entering or returning to the work force. Women’s Opportunity Awards applicants have faced severe hardships that have prevented them from pursuing and achieving their educational and professional goals. Most are single mothers and/or reliant on public assistance as their source of income. Many are domestic abuse survivors. The Women’s Opportunity Awards helps these women rebuild their lives through improved employment opportunities. See the fact sheet. Womens Opportunity Award Applicatio
	• Women in Action is a joint effort with Laubach Literacy International that aids newly literate women in the United States, Latin America and the Philippines in upgrading their lives through income generation, improved education and health care.
	• Making A Difference For Women Award: Acknowledges women who, through their personal or professional activities, are working to improve the lives of women and girls. The work of these women helps to promote the issues that are important to the Soroptimist organization. Honorees are ordinary women who have worked in extraordinary ways to benefit women and girls. See the fact sheet.
	• Club Giving Program: The Annual Club Campaign, Founders Pennies, Memorials and Honorariums and The Laurel Society. See the fact sheet.
	Soroptimist International - International Supported Projects
	• 2011-2013 Quadrennial Project: coming soon Past Projects have included: ð Project SIerra, A Family and a Future, a partnership with UK-based Hope and Homes for Children that assists orphaned and abandoned children in Sierra Leone. ð Project Independence; Women Survivors of War assisting war torn Afghanistan, Bosnia, and Rwanda with needed skills to support themselves and their families. ð Limbs for Life assisted victims of land mines through provision of artificial limbs. Funds contributed to this project exceeded $2.1 Million. ð SIAM supported and trained young Thai villagers to provide alternatives to joining the sex industry in the cities. ð Sight Savers prevented child blindness in Bangladesh.
	• President's Appeal works cooperatively with the United Nations in addressing specific projects each year. This is done on December 10th - Human Rights Day.
	• Project 5-O focuses on training and employment for women in developing countries. Soroptimist International is one of the five project partners including the International Council of Women, the International Federation of Business and Professional Women and Zonta International.
	• The Disaster Relief Fund provides grants of up to $20,000 to assist women who have been the victims of natural disasters or acts of war. A natural disaster is defined as a national or international calamity that has been declared a state of emergency due to loss of life, displacement of residents, or loss of property. These events include floods, hurricanes, tornadoes, forest fires, volcanic disturbances, and earthquakes. See the fact sheet.

Soroptimist of Billings
PO Box 2322 ~ Billings, MT 59103
info@sibillings.org
406-294-1948

Website by Mary Stickney
Website Hosting Courtesy of: DataCorp