Soroptimist Awards Helps Women Facing Barriers to Education
Submitted by Susan Peirce
March 2020 Live Your Dream Award Recipients
Left: 1st place Dawn Krajewski
Right: 2nd place Sonya Hill
“The Live Your Dream Award has been a tremendous blessing for me in helping me to conquer my dreams and it gave me this boost of confidence to keep pressing forward.”
- Live Your Dream Award Recipient
The Soroptimist Live Your Dream Awards are cash awards given to motivated women who are the primary financial supporters of their families. The recipients of the awards seek to improve their lives by gaining additional skills, training or education but do not have the resources to do so. These cash awards are meant to offset any costs associated with the recipient’s efforts to attain higher education, including tuition, books, supplies, child care or transportation costs.
The Soroptimist Live Your Dream Awards is the signature project of Soroptimist International of the Americas (SIA). Soroptimist International of Kawartha Lakes is one of nearly 1,300 clubs that make up SIA, a volunteer organization for women committed to improving the lives of women and girls through programs leading to economic empowerment.
The Live Your Dream: Education & Training Awards for Women program has been helping women around the world. Since 1972, SIA has distributed more than $30 million in education grants to 30,000 women making a better life for themselves and their families. Every year, Soroptimist clubs distribute more than $2.6 million in education grants to about 1,700 women all over the world.
Since 2011, Soroptimist International of Kawartha Lakes (SIKL) has awarded $14,500 to 14 women. This year SIKL is offering a total of two cash awards - $2,000 and $1,000 respectively to 1st and 2nd place. The 1st place recipient becomes eligible for the Eastern Canada Region award of $5,000 USD. Regional award recipients then become eligible to receive one of three international level awards of $10,000 USD.
You are eligible to apply if you: 1. are a woman with primary financial responsibility for yourself and your dependent(s).2. are attending or have been accepted to an undergraduate degree program or a vocational skills training program.3. have financial need.
Over half of the Live Your Dream Awards recipients are survivors of domestic violence, trafficking or sexual assault. Nearly all of the women and families we serve have overcome enormous obstacles including poverty, teen pregnancy, and drug or alcohol addiction.
Application deadline is November 15, 2020. Recipients receive their awards in March 2021.
Apply for a LIVE YOUR DREAM AWARD at bit.ly/LYDA-apply. If you have questions or cannot access the online application, contact: LYDA Chair, Carolyn LaPorte at soroptimist.kawarthalakes@gmail.com.
For more information about Soroptimists in our area, visit our website at www.sikawarthalakes.org.
Submitted by: Susan Peirce, Public Awareness Chair, Soroptimist International of Kawartha Lakes, susanpeirce5@gmail.com, 705-324-8633
