NORTH
VALLEY – Soroptimist International of the Saguaro Foothills
next month celebrates its 34th year as a service organization.
Soroptimist
International is a group of professional or business women
who focus on helping women and children. Helping single
mothers is a particular interest of the local group, said
Pam DiPietro, president of the local chapter.
“You
would be amazed how many people in the Foothills are in
need,” DiPietro said.
Single
mothers have a more difficult time “getting back on their
feet because they have the children and most of the time
there is no support from the fathers,” she said. “This
is our mission–to help them.”
The
club works with other local service organizations such
as Maggie’s Place, an organization that helps pregnant
women get established, as well as Girl’s Ranch, which
helps girls who
are
having difficulties in school or may have gotten in some
trouble. The local Soroptimist chapter makes donations
to both groups, and in the case of Maggie’s Place, has
helped with painting and cleanup.
The
group also provides funds for a scholarship for a student
in Africa, scholarships for local
high school students, and donates to Women For Women,
a program that goes into war‑torn countries such
as Bosnia and provides job training for women.
Last
August, the group provided 218 backpacks filled with school
supplies for Cave Creek and Phoenix school students in
need.
“It
has been a very rewarding experience for me–interacting
with people with needs–and we have been able to help them,”
DiPietro said.
Maria
Hillebrand, service treasurer of the group, finds helping
women emerge from domestic violence especially rewarding.
“It’s
a good feeling to help women get their lives back and
give the children a future,” Hillebrand said.
The
38‑member chapter is looking for additional members.
The group meets one morning a week.
For
general information, visit soroptimist.org. For local
information, call (480) 575‑6880.
