Soroptimist International of Davis is pleased to announce its 2021 Community Grant recipients. The monetary awards, distributed this spring, support local nonprofits that advance the education and empowerment of women and girls.
Two $3,000 grants went to:
- Explorit Science Center to present a four-part series on “Women and Girls in STEM in the 21st Century” to about 25 girls. Topics include astronomy and space; computer coding and animation; electric circuits and design; and nature and the environment.
- Sutter Davis Hospital’s Victim Intervention for Violence and Abuse program. This provides short-term hotel lodging to victims of violence, human trafficking and sexual assault. Emergency departments are often the first point of care for these victims.
Girls perform an experiment at an Explorit Science Center camp. A grant from Soroptimist International of Davis will support a four-part series on “Women and Girls in STEM in the 21st Century” to about 25 girls.
Nurses Justin Gaddis, Elizabeth Seely and emergency department manager Tambria Agnew work on the Sutter Davis Hospital Victim Intervention for Violence and Abuse program.
Two $1,000 grants were awarded to:
- iDream: The Mac Give Back Project, to purchase refurbished Apple laptops and iPads for women and girls in need, during a time when computer access is crucial.
- Multicultural Families Rock, to purchase copies of the children’s picture book “Where Wonder Grows” by Xelena González to give to the families served by ApoYolo and the Davis Migrant Center. The book is about a grandmother bonding with her granddaughters as she teaches them how much they can learn by being curious.
Soroptimist International of Davis member Wendy Weitzel, right, poses with Dahlia Barragan and her mom Candalaria Ramirez. The girl received a refurbished Macbook Pro from iDream: The Mac Give Back Project, because of a grant from the service club. The Chromebook issued by Dahlia’s Sacramento school did not work well enough to support her online learning.
Katrina Laws-Ewald, left, and NJ Mvondo hosted a literacy event for Black authors in June 2020 at the Central Park Solidarity Space. The two are part of Multicultural Families Rock, which earned a Soroptimist grant.
The awards go to nonprofit organizations that sustain the Soroptimist mission. Soroptimist is a global volunteer organization that provides women and girls with access to the education and training they need to achieve economic empowerment. Applications are assessed for their alignment to Soroptimist values, their community impact and feasibility.
Soroptimist was founded in Oakland in 1921, and celebrates its 100th anniversary in October. Davis was chartered in 1954. A second Davis club, Greater Davis, formed in 1985. Local members join some 80,000 Soroptimists in 120 countries and territories to contribute time and financial support to community-based projects benefiting women and girls.
SI Davis volunteers raise money for its programs and projects, including Live Your Dream: Education and Training Awards for Women, and Dream It, Be It: Career Support for Girls at King High School. It also funds high school scholarships, grants to nonprofits that align with the Soroptimist mission, and anti-trafficking efforts. For more information on the club, visit https://www.sidavis.org and follow its Facebook or Instagram pages: @SoroptimistDavis.
