MISSION: Improving the lives of women and girls, in local communities and throughout the world.
Soroptimist International of Novato is an association of business and professional women interested in projects that better the lives of women and girls on a local, national and international level. We are one small local organization in the company of thousands of other similar organizations all over the world.
The Novato Club was chartered on April 14, 1973, and has, over the years, funded many local projects that improve the lives of women and girls as well as a number of civic projects including the landscaping of Slade Park, providing gym and playground equipment for the Novato Youth Center, donating the clock at the Novato City Hall building, helping to fund the purchase of vans at both the Novato Youth Center and the Novato Human Need Center, and donating the flagpole for the Novato History Museum.
Founded in 1921, Soroptimist International is an international organization for business and professional women who provide volunteer service to their communities. Almost 100,000 Soroptimists in 124 countries and territories around the world contribute time and financial support to community–based and international projects benefiting women and girls.
Founder Region
Founder Region is so named because the first Soroptimist club met and was chartered in Oakland, California in 1921 when the first club, Alameda County was formed. The Constitution of that first club stated the purpose of Soroptimist was “To foster the spirit of service…” That purpose and “spirit of service” drives every Soroptimist club, district, region, and federation to this day.
In addition to other programs, the region’s permanent identifying project is Founder Region Fellowship. This effort offers $20,000.00 in fellowships and grants to women enrolled in graduate schools within the boundaries of Founder Region who are in the last year of their doctoral studies.
Soroptimist International of the Americas
Founder Region is a unit of Soroptimist International of the Americas (SIA), with territory which encompasses ten north coast counties in California, the State of Hawai’i, and the U.S. territories of Guam & the Marianas.
Soroptimist International
Since those beginnings, Soroptimist International (SI) – the world’s largest classified volunteer service organization for women in business, management, and the professions – has grown to an international organization, with headquarters in the United Kingdom., and thousands of service clubs around the world.
The clubs of Soroptimist International strive for human rights for all, equality, development and peace through international understanding and friendship. Because of their work, SI holds category 1 consultative status with the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) of the United Nations International Non-Governmental Organization.
“It is the policy of Soroptimist International to be concerned with international and national issues that relate to its objects and programmes. On matters of political controversy between nations, or party politics and of sectarian religion, Soroptimist International maintains a position of strict neutrality.” (From SI Constitution)
