Welcome to Soroptimist International of Bend, Oregon

ZOOM Program, Furnish Hope - SI Bend Press Release

Furnish Hope Executive Director to speak

Jill Kaufman and Rebecca Battleson from  Deschutes County Stabilization Center will discuss resources available to those in need of short-term mental health crisis assessment and stabilization. Services to the community include crisis walk-in appointments, Forensic Diversion Programs, peer support, and more.

Soroptimist International of Bend invites the community to access this ZOOM program on Thursday, January 26, 2023 from 12:00pm to 1:00pm. Please contact info@sibend.org for links and instructions.

Soroptimist International of Bend Offering Educational Awards

Applications taken until November 15, 2022.

September 28, 2022: Applications are now available online for the Soroptimist Live Your Dream Award®. LYDA are cash awards given to motivated women who are the primary financial supporters of their families. Recipients of the awards seek to improve their lives by gaining additional skills, training or education, but do not have the resources to do so.

Soroptimist International of Bend offers a $2000 award. In addition, another award in the same amount, is underwritten by Central Electric Cooperative, Inc to any of their members who are in good standing and meet all of LYDA’s requirements.

Applicants must be enrolled in an accredited program and have dependent children and/or adults to be eligible. The cash awards are meant to offset any costs associated with the recipient’s efforts to attain higher education, including tuition, books, supplies, child care or transportation costs. Applications are available now until November 15, 2022 at www.sibend.org. Please read instructions carefully. Questions? Contact Jan Swander at j.m.swander@gmail.com.

Come join us!  We are once again gathering in-person for Board Meetings and Business Meetings!

Our meetings are held at:

Deschutes Historical Museum

129 NW Idaho Ave, Bend, OR 97703

Board Meeting

1st Thursday of the month: 12 noon - 1pm

For Board members only.

Business Meeting

2nd Thursday of the month: 12 noon - 1pm

Open to members and guests. Please RSVP.

The “Bras from Bend Drive” is Back for the month of April!

Sponsored by Soroptimist International of Bend

April 2022: One bra – one woman from Central Oregon. Both make a difference to

one woman rescued from human trafficking halfway around the world. Your gently

used or new bra provides a woman rescued from sex trafficking the opportunity to

earn a living by selling used clothing and to create a better life for herself and her

family. It is that simple.

Please give support during the month of April and drop your bras in the Soroptimist of

Bend Bra Boxes at the following locations. In turn, they are sent to the non-profit,

Free the Girls (freethegirls.org) that ships them to Africa and Latin America.

Donations are always welcome to help defray the cost of shipping More details

available at www.sibend.org. Thank you

Bend Locations:

Apollo Hair Salon, 61470 S. Hwy 97, Suite 2

Chic and Shabby Hair Salon, 2669 NE Twin Knolls

Creative Hair Graphics, 1040 NW Galveston Avenue

Deschutes children’s Foundation, 2125 Daggett Lane

Little Hair Shoppe, 2669 NE Twin Knolls

Mariposa Beauty, 345 NE Norton Avenue

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Celebrating 75+ Years of Service  1943 - 2022

[Service never goes out of style . Soroptimist International of Bend (SI Bend),  has been providing community support serving women and girls of Central Oregon since 1943.  SI Bend is the longest, continuously running women’s service organization in Bend, offering educational awards to local students, plus, supporting Bethlehem Inn, Head Start, Grandma’s House, J Bar J, Dawn’s House and more.

Internationally, SI Bend’s outreach programs“ Bras from Bend” assists women rescued from human trafficking especially from the sex slave trade through the campaign “Free the Girls.” For more information, please contact www.sibend.org.]

Soroptimist International of Bend, OR | Est. 1943 www.sibend.org

Soroptimist International of Bend Offering Educational Awards

Applications taken until November 15, 2021.

September 20, 2021: Applications are now available online for the Soroptimist Live Your Dream Award®. LYDA are cash awards given to motivated women who are the primary financial supporters of their families. Recipients of the awards seek to improve their lives by gaining additional skills, training or education, but do not have the resources to do so.

Soroptimist International of Bend offers a $2000 award. In addition, another award in the same amount, is underwritten by Central Electric Cooperative, Inc to any of their members who are in good standing and meet all of LYDA’s requirements.

Applicants must be enrolled in an accredited program and have dependent children to be eligible. The cash awards are meant to offset any costs associated with the recipient’s efforts to attain higher education, including tuition, books, supplies, child care or transportation costs. Applications are available now until November 15, 2021 at www.sibend.org. Please read instructions carefully. Questions? Contact Jan Swander at j.m.swander@gmail.com.

40TH ANNUAL SOROPTIMIST INTERNATIONAL OF BEND HOLIDAY WREATH & EVERGREEN SALE SEPTEMBER 20 TO OCTOBER 28, 2021

Bend Or: September 20,2021: Holidays are just around the corner. Make your holiday shopping easy, stress-free and donate to worthy cause at the same time. Soroptimist International of Bend is offering fresh from Oregon forests wreaths, centerpieces, garlands and more. The 40th Soroptimist Holiday Wreath & Evergreen Fundraiser begins September 20 until October 28, 2021.

This year, 2021, Soroptimist International of Bend and Soroptimist International are celebrating 100 years of dedicated service to women and girls in their quest to improve their lives and economic stability. Locally, SI Bend has been assisting financially needy women since 1943 to pursue additional skills, training, and higher education. Every item purchased from this sale helps support the annual educational “Live Your Dream Award” and also funds many of the club’s donations to local non-profits such as Bethlehem Inn, Family Access Network, The Loft, Dawn’s House, Beulah’s Place, Head Start and more.

Beautiful holiday creations from Teufel’s Holly Farm (established in 1890 in Oregon) are easily ordered via PayPal after viewing the choices at www.sibend.org. Holiday sales information is also available through e-mail at wreaths@sibend.org or by calling 541-420-3296.

Sales are from September 20 to October 28, 2021, so please place your orders soon.

For local delivery, Soroptimist members, of course, continue to personally bring your order to

your home after Thanksgiving.

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Investing in Dreams: Soroptimist International of Bend (SI Bend), has been providing community support serving women and girls of Central Oregon since 1943. SI Bend is the longest, continuously running women’s service organization in Bend, offering educational awards to local students, plus, supporting Bethlehem Inn, Head Start, Grandma’s House, The Loft and more. Internationally, SI Bend’s outreach programs“ Bras from Bend” assists women rescued from human trafficking especially from the sex slave trade through the campaign “Free the Girls.” For more information, please contact www.sibend.org.] Soroptimist International of Bend, OR | Est. 1943 www.sibend.org

Soroptimist International of Bend Announces Two $2000 Live Your Dream Winners

February 25, 2021: Soroptimist International of Bend is pleased to introduce the two winners of the annual “Live Your Dream Award” for 2021. Each woman will receive $2000 that she can use to further her educational pursuits. The recipients are chosen with much thought given to their circumstances, challenges, intended goals and financial needs. Both of this year’s winners have demonstrated determination, persistence, purpose and grace while dealing with personal challenges.

Jasmine, a single mother of two, moved to Central Oregon after accepting a position as a Community Engagement Coordinator for a non-profit organization that deals with childhood trauma. During her time with the organization, she coordinated and managed awareness events around ACES (Adverse Childhood Experiences and Trauma-Informed) approaches. She is currently training to become a certified Peer Support Specialist in order to use her lived experiences with domestic violence, racial trauma, and adverse childhood experiences to be of support and empower others who are dealing with those issues with patience and compassion. She is also studying to become certified in the field of human services in order to work as an advocate to be of support to those who are facing homelessness due to leaving domestic and other adverse experiences. Enrolled at Portland Community College, she is the recipient of the Live Your Dream Award which is underwritten by a grant from Central Electric Cooperative.

Aimé Maxwell, a single mother of one, is a Licensed Massage Therapist in the process of completing her AAS in Massage Therapy at Central Oregon Community College. As a Licensed Massage Therapist, Ms. Maxwell has become aware that many people do see massage as therapy and use the time to speak of their feelings. This has prompted her to make additional goals. Her next step will be to enroll at Eastern Oregon University to obtain a degree in Business and then at the University of Oregon for a Master's in Psychology. Her goal is to become a Mind/Body Therapist via massage and psychotherapy.

LYDA applications are available each fall online at www.sibend.org. Women who are pursuing their education, financially needy, head of household and enrolled in a certificated educational program are encouraged to apply. A separate local Soroptimist “Live Your Dream Award” is underwritten by Central Electric Cooperative for women who meet the above criteria and who are CEC members in good standing. For more information – www.sibend.org.