SOROPTIMIST INTERNATIONAL
OF MUSIC CITY NASHVILLE
Lunch for Girls
Through a connection with the Humphrey Fellowship at Vanderbilt University, SI Music City Nashville is helping feed girls in secondary school in Benin, West Africa. Forced to leave at lunchtime when they cannot afford meals at school, they are confronted with men offering food in exchange for sexual favors. They trade bread for sex! As a result, the rate of pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases is high and forces girls to drop out of school.
Lunch for Girls provides money for the girls' lunches, so they do not have to leave the school. Since the start of the program in 2018, pregnancy rates have dropped dramatically and most girls have stayed in school. At a cost of just $1.00/meal, currently $5,700 feeds these girls for an entire school year. SI Music City Nashville and its members support this program through fundraisers and donations.
Soroptimist’s “Dream It, Be It” is a program designed to help teenage girls grow up to be strong, confident, successful, and happy adults. It is a career support curriculum that not only allows girls to “dream” of future success, but to learn about career opportunities and implement the practical skills needed to set and achieve goals, overcome obstacles, and reach their “dreams.” Watch our events page for our next “Dream It, Be It” workshop in Nashville.
The Live Your Dream Award is a cash award given annually to a woman who has overcome obstacles and provides the primary source of income for her family. She must be enrolled or accepted in a vocational/skills training program or an undergraduate degree program and must demonstrate a financial need. The cash award may be used to offset any costs associated with the winner’s efforts to attain higher education. The application of the local winner is sent to Southern Region for consideration in further awards. Click on the link above to begin the application process.
AncoraTN (formerly End Slavery Tennessee)
In 2007, Soroptimist launched a major campaign—Soroptimists STOP Trafficking—aimed at raising awareness about the devastating practice of sex trafficking. SI Music City Nashville began working directly with Ancora, TN (formerly End Slavery TN), a nonprofit organization that provides training to help the community and professionals recognize the signs of trafficking; works with programs to prevent trafficking of minors; advocates for change in conjunction with government, law enforcement and other organizations; and provides aftercare for survivors.
Club members provide birthday boxes and birthday cakes each month for survivors. We strive to educate our own community about the dangers (particularly internet and pornography) for minors, as well as teaching the warning signs of trafficking.
CLICK ON ANY OF THE PROGRAMS BELOW FOR MORE INFORMATION.