Women and girls seeking financial assistance for education or training
Soroptimist International of Camas & Washougal is looking for women and girls with the courage and strength to pursue their dreams. The organization is accepting applications from women and girls seeking financial assistance for their education or training expenses.
Applications for the financial assistance are available at www.cwsoroptimist.org or intereste parties can contact Jacilyn Margeson, at (360) 607-3854 or jacimargeson@gmail.com.
Soroptimist International of Camas & Washougal is offering two categories of financial assistance. The first category, the Soroptimist Live Your Dream: Education and Training Awards for Women, is for women and girls who serve as the primary wage earners for their family and need financial assistance to continue their education or receive training. The deadline for applying for the Live Your Dream Award is Nov. 15, 2020.
Live Your Dream recipients can use the award to offset costs associated with their efforts to attain higher education, or additional skills and training. The cost offset is not limited to books and tuition but can include other education- related expenses such as childcare, or bus fare.
Soroptimist International of Camas & Washougal will offer up to $5,000 to its award recipients. One of the recipients will then advance to the Soroptimist Northwest Region level where recipients could receive up to an additional $5,000. The program culminates, with an additional $10,000 for three nationwide finalists, selected from the regional award recipients. Nationwide, the Live Your Dream award provides over $2.5 million in cash awards annually.
The second category of financial assistance, our local endowment award, is for women and girls who are motivated to pursue their educational goals but need financial assistance to achieve their goal. The monies for the local club awards are derived from member donations and fundraising activities, including estate sales. The deadline for applying for our local endowment award is Jan. 29, 2021.
Endowment recipients can use the award to offset costs associated with their efforts to attain higher education, or additional skills and training, including books, tuition or any other education-related expenses. Soroptimist International of Camas & Washougal has given over $15,000 a year to endowment recipients over the past 10 years.
A study conducted by The Fels Institute of Government, a research and consulting organization based at the University, confirmed that providing women and girls access to education, improves the recipients’ quality of life; builds their self-confidence; strengthens their self-determination and makes them want to, in turn, help others. Helping women and girls in this way has the demonstrated effect of leading to stronger communities, nations and the world.
Founded in 1948, Soroptimist International of Camas & Washougal is part of Soroptimist International of the Americas, a global organization that works to improve the lives of women and girls through programs leading to social and economic empowerment. Soroptimist International of Camas & Washougal members join with almost 80,000 soroptimists in about 120 countries and territories to contribute time and financial support to community-based projects benefiting women and girls. Soroptimist, a 501(c)(3) organization, relies on charitable donations to support its programs.
Soroptimist’s dream is to make sure that women have the financial support they need to pursue their dream.
Contact Jacilyn Margeson, (360) 607-3854, jacimargeson@gmail.com or Cindy Reber, (503) 547–5289, camasfre@yahoo.com for more information about the soroptimist organization or these two grant opportunities.
