Community Programs

In addition to awarding scholarships in five different areas, we are involved with the following organizations:

Soroptimist Village

Soroptimist Village is the result of three hundred women and one dream to provide affordable Section 8 housing on a rental basis to low income, qualifying seniors. Located in the City of Norwalk, Soroptimist Village was dedicated on June 30, 1963. Of the 47 units, apartments are available in two sizes depending on the number of occupants. A spacious studio for seniors living alone and a one bedroom cottage for couples, providing privacy and comfort. Each apartment is furnished with a stove and refrigerator. Laundry facilities and a recreation building are located on the premises for complete enjoyment by the tenants.

The partnership with the City of Norwalk Housing Authority's Section 8 program ensures sufficient rental income to cover major maintenance costs without making special requests to the Foundation. At the annual meeting held in October reports are provided on Building and Maintenance, Grounds, and Occupancy. Special need improvements to the residences are undertaken by the clubs on the Village Board as they become known.

At the present time there are eleven local Soroptimist International clubs that participate in supporting the Village through the Soroptimist Village Foundation. Each club sponsors a birthday party in a specific month once a year and provides Christmas gifts for each of the 60 residents at the annual Christmas party. Soroptimist International of Monterey Park / Rosemead sponsored the purchase of a front porch for one of the units during the 05-06 and 06-07 service club years.

For further information, please contact

Soroptimist Village Foundation, 12657 Foster Road, Norwalk, CA 90650
Phone: (562) 868-8044

Lincoln Training Center

This not-for-profit organization was founded in 1964 by a group of parents for the purpose of providing meaningful employment for their adult children with disabilities. Housed in a 30,000 sq. ft. facility, this organization employs more than 400 developmentally and physically disabled people annually, while providing precise, high quality subcontract work for all types of industries.

For more information about the Lincoln Training Center, please contact

Lincoln Training Center
2643 Loma Ave., South El Monte, CA 91733
Phone: (626) 442-0621
Fax:(626) 442-0177
Toll Free (800) 949-4582

City of Monterey Park Crystal Youth Award

Though a few members of our club have regularly volunteered to sit on the board that selects the awardees, the 05-06 service budget year was our club's first time to financially support the program. This city award highlights teens who have used their energy and ingenuity for their community in a positive way. Recognition is given in four areas: Volunteerism, Inspirational, Athletics, and Leadership.

For further information about the Crystal Youth Award, please contact

City of Monterey Park
Economic Development Department
Donna Ramirez
(626) 307-1385

American Heart Association

This organization is committed to funding research and awareness programs to enable women across the United States to live stronger, longer lives. As one should know, heart disease is the number one killer of women across the nation, totaling over 500,000 deaths per year. Soroptimist International, with their commitment to awareness, advocacy, and action have adopted the campaign as well. "Go Red for Women" is Soroptimist International, Camino Real Region's service project this biennium. Last year, over $13,000 was raised by the Camino Real Region for the American Heart Association Heart Walk.

Soroptimist International of Monterey Park Rosemead has raised over $2,600 over the last two years for this important project. This year our members have set a goal of raising $1,500 and will walk in the Heart Walk on Saturday, September 30, 2006. To make a donation, log onto www.heartwalkla.org, go to Sponsor Participant, enter the name Tina Gorajewski, click on the Tina Gorajewski in Walnut, CA. There you can read about Tina's walk last year with her 2 year old daughter Elizabeth and the unforgotten announcement of her mother's death associated with heartdisease.

YMCA

We contribute to their campership fund and attend their fundraising programs.

Tech Trek

American Association of University Women (AAUW) Tech Trek Program Tech Trek is a math/science camp designed to develop interests, excitement and self-confidence in young women who will enter eighth grade in the fall. It features hands-on activities in math, science and related fields. All sleeping, eating, instructional and recreational facilities are located on a university campus where the camps are held.

Campers are assigned either a math or science core class that they attend daily. Off-campus field trips to encourage maximum interaction and instruction are also planned.

Most important of all is the university campus experience. No matter what campus they attend (Stanford University or Mills College - Northern California; California State University, Fresno - Central California; and Whittier College, University of California, San Diego or University of California, Santa Barbara - Southern California) campers will have the opportunity to live the life of a college student for the week. They will learn to live with someone other than a sibling or a relative, share community bathrooms, eat dorm food and explore the campus area under the careful supervision of camp staff. They will also interact with women who model a high degree of science, mathematics or computer expertise as part of their daily lives.

Designed to provide every camper with exposure to all cores subjects taught, campers will also select from a number of rotating labs. Instructors include credentialed middle school teachers and women currently engaged professionally in math, science or technology fields. Evening programs in fields such as astronomy, engineering, marine biology, and environmental studies are planned to enhance the learning experience and introduce students to a variety of potential career areas.

Though Soroptimist International of Monterey Park / Rosemead has partially sponsored a student each of the past three years, our club is proud to announce that two students will be fully funded by the club during the 06 - 07 service club year.

For further information on Tech Trek, please contact:
AAUW CA, P.O. Box 808,
Sacramento, CA 95812
Phone: (916) 448-7795

Battered Women's Assistance

Wherever and whenever we are asked for help we respond by donating money and/or good.

People for People

In March 1984 People for People opened their doors to low income families, elderly, unemployed, homeless, and those who do not qualify for other programs and reside in the cities of Alhambra, Monterey Park, Rosemead, San Gabriel, Temple City and the unincorporated areas. Recipients can obtain food items (canned, dry, bread, dairy, fresh fruit and vegetables, and some fresh meats and frozen foods when available) and clothing from the thrift store when in need. The center is staffed by a part-time director and volunteers of various ages. Its support is derived from over 20 churches in the valley, service clubs, corporations, municipalities and schools by contributions of canned foods, funds, and volunteerism.

For the last three years, members of Soroptimist International of Monterey Park / Rosemead and their family members have been assisting People for People at their annual food drive. The Saturday before Mother's Day, through their National Postal Workers Food Drive, Postal Carriers throughout the San Gabriel Valley collect bags of canned and/or dry packaged food. The food is collected at the various Post Offices and transported to a facility in San Gabriel. Throughout the late afternoon/evening Soroptimist members and volunteers from local churches, schools, and service clubs take on the grueling task of sorting the food into large containers. Eventually the containers will be transported to another facility wherein the food will beshelved accordingly and made available for those in need.

For many years, members of Soroptimist International of Monterey Park / Rosemead have also supported the People for People Adopt-A-Family program. This project allows our club the opportunity to help a family less fortunate than we are during the Christmas Holiday. People for People maintains a list of families in need. A club member will review the families in need and select one accordingly (primarily looking for a single mother with children). Generally the family provides a wish/needs list and our members set out to fulfill the list as best as possible. Generally clothing, shoes, food and at least one toy for each child is purchased, wrapped, and returned to People for People for distribution to the family. Though members never meet the family in need, they feel better knowing that a family's needs have been met.

In November 2005, our members anxiously donated eleven frozen hen turkeys to People for People. These turkeys were eventually placed in Thanksgiving food baskets that People for People prepared and distributed to those families in need. Members of Soroptimist International of Monterey Park / Rosemead are looking forward to participating in the Thanksgiving food basket program in the upcoming years.

For more information about People for People, please contact:

Mrs. Holly Knapp, Director
People for People
860 W. Mission Rd
San Gabriel, CA 91776
(626) 285-2549

Candidates Forum

Prior to each municipal election in the cities of Monterey Park/Rosemead we sponsor and conduct a non partisan Candidates Forum to inform and enlighten the voters.

Women in Prison

After 16 years of imprisonment for a crime that she did not commit, Gloria Kilian remains compassionate to the women in prison. Founder of her own non-profit organization called Action Committed for Women in Prison, it is Gloria's personal goal to see that every woman in the California prison system receives some type of gift during the holidays. These simple gifts remind women that there are women out there that do care about their situation.

For the last three years members of Soroptimist International of Monterey Park / Rosemead have collected travel / hotel size shampoo, conditioner, and lotions for the gift baskets for the Women in Prison project. A joint club project, these items are then transported to members of the Soroptimist International of Alhambra / San Gabriel / San Marino for presentation to a church in Pasadena where the products are separated and placed in gift baskets to be distributed to women in prison during the Christmas Holiday.