The Soroptimist International (SI) of Kent awarded $4,375 to four nonprofits today at its annual community service awards luncheon. With 40 or so women looking on at Golden Steer Restaurant, community service awards chair and former president Adrienne Rockwell presented the awards following a welcome from SI president Dawn Christiansen Cuellar.
“These cash awards represent the club’s commitment to helping to improve the economic, social and educational lives of girls and women in our community,” Cuellar said.
This year’s awards went to:
YWCA Summer Camp/YWCA Children’s Domestic Violence Program – SI of Kent’s $875 award will pay for 15 boys and girls affected by domestic violence to attend summer camp. In addition to covering the cost of the camp, the donation will also cover the cost of supplies, including sleeping bags, for the children. Kellie Rogers, program manager and children’s advocate for the YWCA’s children’s domestic violence program accepted the award on behalf of the YWCA.
“This summer camp allows kids to be kids,” Rogers said.
Catholic Community Services – Katherine’s House - This program received $1,000 donation from SI of Kent. Katherine’s House is a program that provides counseling, support and transitional housing for six drug addicted, homeless women for up to two years. The program boasts an 88% success rate the first year after a woman graduates from the program (clean and sober and maintaining own housing). The program is celebrating 10 years this summer, and recently opened Rita’s House in Auburn to provide the same services.
King County Sexual Assault Resource Center – Receiving an award of $1,500 from the club’s long term domestic violence fund, this program serves sexually abused children and their non-offending parents or caregivers. It helps children and parents – typically mothers – that the abuse is never their fault as well as how and why it happens.
Pediatric Interim Care Center (PICC) – PICC, a Kent nonprofit serving drug addicted infants, received an award of $1,000 from SI of Kent today. PICC is the only center of its kind in Washington State, and it celebrates 20 years in 2011. Barbara Drennen, executive director and co-founder of the program, accepted the donation on behalf of PICC.
“We desperately need funding to continue taking care of the babies,” Drennen explained.
After the community service awards were given, SI members Dee Moschel and Judy Woods received pins from President Cuellar for 25 years of service to the club.
“Thank you both for your dedication and professionalism these last 25 years,” Cuellar said. “We couldn’t do it without you!”
