2024 Live Your Dream Recipients

Introducing the 2024 recipients of our Live Your Dream Education And Training Awards For Women®.

Soroptimist Raleigh: We Empower Girls & Women 

Soroptimist Raleigh is a local club of Soroptimist International. Soroptimist is a global volunteer organization that provides women and girls with access to the education and training they need to achieve economic empowerment. The name, Soroptimist, means “best for women,” and that’s what the organization strives to achieve. Soroptimists are women at their best, working to help other women to be their best.

Our service projects collaborate extensively with women’s groups, governmental agencies, educators, international and statewide coalitions, and concerned citizens. In terms of our local service projects:

Live Your Dream

The Soroptimist Live Your Dream: Education & Training Awards
for Women program is our signature service project. This award aids women who are the primary wage earners for their families and are seeking to improve their economic status by gaining additional skills, training and education.

Live Your Dream Plus

In our “Live Your Dream Plus” program we follow up with our awardees for up to three years, mentoring them to afford ongoing support both non-financial as well as financial. With our Live Your Dream Plus program, our awardees know that there is a network of women who are ready to help in any number of ways.

Dream It Be It

Dream It Be It targets girls in secondary school who face obstacles to their future success. It provides girls with access to professional role models, career education and the resources to live their dreams.

Real Stories

Here are a few stories of some recipeints of the Live Your Dream Awards.  Perhaps they will encourage you to take the steps to achieve your dreams, big or small.

Amy – 2023 Live Your Dream Awardee

Amy – 2023 Live Your Dream Awardee

Amy is enrolled in the practical nursing program at Durham Tech Community College. She works part-time and is a single mother. Amy moved to the United States to be with her spouse in 2018. Having always been very passionate about helping people and making a...

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Krystal – 2023 Live Your Dream Awardee

Krystal – 2023 Live Your Dream Awardee

Krystal is pursuing an associate degree in early childhood education at Stanly Community College. She works full-time and is a single parent of 3 children. Her oldest daughter is 20 and working, but due to mental health issues continues to live at home. Her middle...

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Portia – 2022 Live Your Dream Awardee

Portia – 2022 Live Your Dream Awardee

Portia is currently pursuing an associate degree in nursing at Wake Technical Community College. She works part-time while getting her education and raising two children ages 3 and 7. There have been many struggles Portia has dealt with during her journey, from...

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News and Events

Soroptimist Raleigh Celebrates Completion of Club Year

Soroptimist Raleigh Celebrates Completion of Club Year

Members of Soroptimist of Raleigh wrapped up the 2022 - 2023 club year with a lively dinner social at Cantina 18 in Raleigh. In addition to a review of the accomplishments of the past year by President Betsy Miller, newly elected board members were installed by...

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Summer PuzzleMania: Saturday August 5

Summer PuzzleMania: Saturday August 5

Love puzzles? Join us for a FUN fundraiser to benefit Soroptimist Raleigh's Dream Programs for women and girls. In this FUN-raising event, teams of four compete to assemble an identical 500-piece jigsaw puzzle in the fastest time. There are cash prizes for the first...

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Member Profile: Sarita Harkness

Member Profile: Sarita Harkness

From Soroptimist International of Panama to Soroptimist International of Raleigh Sarita Harkness was born in Panama of immigrant grandparents. On her paternal side were Syrian Jews, from Jerusalem and Alexandria, respectively. On her mother’s side, her grandfather was...

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