Around Town Philanthropy
Live Your Dream
“Soroptimist Live Your Dream Award program is a unique education-related grant for women who provide the primary financial support to their families.”
14 • Benicia Magazine
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Patty Gavin
No doubt, we are living in unparalleled times, and statistics show that women have been disproportionately hit by the pandemic, especially those with children. According to the National Women's Health Network (NWHN), "COVID kills more men, but the social and economic consequences of the pandemic are landing hardest on women." Women's careers span the world of business, science, education, politics, the arts, etc., but the pandemic has hit the service industries the hardest. Since so many women work in service industries such as restaurants, day care centers, and the beauty and hospitality industries, they have suffered "60% of pandemic related job losses." Then, there are the frontline healthcare workers, the majority of them women, who face a high risk of infection and of bringing it home. Scores of women have left the workforce, some because they lost their job, and others because they had no daycare options available for their children.
Since women are more likely to be the caregivers, they disproportionately have been the ones to stay home overseeing their children's remote learning. If they are working from home, they wear many hats. And then there is the task of maintaining the emotional and mental health of their children, as well as their own. It cannot be disputed that juggling it all can be a challenge… a recipe for stress. Soroptimist International of Benicia, a non-profit volunteer organization that serves women and girls, is aware that their help is needed now, more than ever. At Christmastime, the club provided 47 Holiday Giving boxes with over 1200 pounds of food, along with gift cards, to be delivered locally. In addition, food, toys, and gifts were provided to the four previous Soroptimist Live Your Dream award recipients and their children. During the summer, in partnership with the Solano Community Foundation, members donated $8200 to the "Snack Pack Project," providing meals for 100+
