Soroptimist International opens Live Your Dream award application process

 THE GORGE — Women who serve as the primary wage earners for their families and seek financial assistance to continue their education or receive training can now apply for the Soroptimist Live Your Dream: Education and Training Awards for Women.

Applications are available at soroptimist.org; click on Live Your Dream Awards, or contact Cherie Costello at cherie@gorge.net (Hood River club) or Nikki Paulson at 541-645-5632 (Mt. Adams club); applications are due by Nov. 15.

The Soroptimist International of Hood River club will provide up to two $2,000 cash awards to recipients, and the Mt. Adams club one award up to $1,500. Winners will then advance to the Soroptimist Northwestern Region level, where recipients could receive up to an additional $5,000. The program culminates with three finalist $10,000 awards.

Recipients can use the Live Your Dream Award to offset costs associated with their efforts to attain higher education or additional skills and training. This includes tuition, books, childcare, transportation, or any other education-related expense. 

The Live Your Dream Award provides more than $3 million in cash awards to head-of-household women in need each year. Since the program’s inception in 1972, more than $40 million has helped tens of thousands of women achieve their dreams of a better life for themselves and their families. For more information about how Soroptimist improves the lives of women and girls, visit www.soroptimist.org.