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Support Healthy Communities

When you invest in education for women and girls, you're helping them raise healthier families, get higher-paying jobs, and strengthen their communities.

Provide Mentorship

Your donation will provide mentorship to over 20,000 teen girls a year, helping build their confidence to pursue their career goals.

Invest in their Education Dreams

You help us award $2.6 million annually to thousands of women around the world to help them attain their degrees.

Break the Cycle of Poverty & Violence

Your gift supports women and girls who face homelessness, domestic violence, substance abuse, trafficking, or teen pregnancy—and helps them break the cycle to achieve a better life.

Worldwide, women and girls face huge challenges such as poverty, violence, and inequality.

Dawn Johnson's Story

Since 1972, we've distributed more than $30 million in education grants to 30,000 women making a better life for themselves and their families.

Our Impact

of Live Your Dream Award recipients completed their education and improved their standard of living

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How COVID-19 Has Affected Women & Girls

When attending school poses a health risk, girls face increased risk of dropping out, teen pregnancy, and sexual abuse.

With women facing unemployment due to the pandemic, continuing their education becomes financially impossible.

The added domestic load women have taken on can contribute to lower wages and negatively impact career trajectories.

When she was a little girl, Dawn dreamed of practicing law and changing the world. Unfortunately, the odds were against her.

Dawn turned to alcohol at the young age of 8 to number herself from the years of physical and sexual abuse she endured from her parents. At 11, she was placed into child welfare. By 12, she was living on the streets and addicted to crack. At 15, she was in an abusive relationship and pregnant.

Those obstacles and traumas could easily have defeated anyone... but not Dawn.

One day, Dawn woke up on the kitchen floor after a particularly violent beating from her abusive partner. She knew she had to break the cycle and take back her life, not just for herself but for her infant daughter.

She knew that education was the path she needed to take. Education would lead to financial independence and to her youthful dreams coming true.

After leaving her old life behind, Dawn was accepted at the University of Victoria to complete her Bachelor of Arts in child and youth care.

A single parent working full time to fund her full-time education and taking on debt, Dawn was in a state of financial crisis, and her plans were in real danger of being derailed.

Then, with the generous help of donors, we were able to support Dawn's education through the Live Your Dream Awards. No longer would she have to choose between affording groceries or tuition. The award meant she could get out of survival mode and continue school while still caring for her daughters.

Today, Dawn and her daughters no longer live in poverty, and their future is bright!

of recipients who completed their degree or certification secured higher-paying employment

of recipients report the award has increased their self-esteem

Donate to help them live their dreams!

We help women and girls through education, mentorship, financial help, and access to community support.

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For nearly 100 years, Soroptimist has been improving the lives of women & girls in local communities and throughout the world.

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LiveYourDream.org / Soroptimist is a 501(c)3 tax-exempt organization and your donation is tax-deductible within the guidelines of U.S. law.

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Empowering Women & Girls with Education