10th of December is the Soroptimist International Foundation Day (also known as Human Rights Day). SI President Maureen Maguire, encouraged us all to raise funds and donate them to the Soroptimist International Foundation.
With the establishment of the Soroptimist International Foundation, SI will no longer have an International President’s Appeal. The SI President will lead the Foundation. Raising awareness of projects and promoting fundraising through continued Soroptimist members giving, and legacies, grants and other funding sources.
Soroptimists need to fundraise so that the projects can continue to be funded. It makes a difference to the lives of women and girls around the world.
The Soroptimist International Foundation has launched with two projects. Hence a call to action to support the work. The two projects are : –
- Education For Women And Girls In or From War-Torn Countries
- Visible and Vocal
Medway and Maidstone Soroptimists organised two fundraising events. The first was our Christmas Newsletter with messages and pledges made in lieu of exchanging Christmas cards. The financial pledges made were £208.
A Christmas Soup Kitchen was also held at Carol McKeough’s on 16 December. 12 members celebrated the festive season together enjoying delicious home-made soups and then some naughty homemade desserts with our Soroptimist friends. Donations made for the Soup kitchen amounted to £157.
The combined total raised from both events amounted to £365 and has already been paid direct to the Soroptimist International Foundation via the SIGBI website and attracted an additional £91.25 Gift Aid.