Soroptimist International of the Americas (SIA), one of the four federations that make up the Soroptimist International movement, has been recognized for innovation in furthering its mission of improving the lives of women and girls.  SIA, its executive director and CEO, Elizabeth M. Lucas (pictured above) and its online community, LiveYour dream.org, have all been recognized recently for achievement in furthering the organization’s impact.

• The Center for Association Leadership (ASAE) appointed Soroptimist executive director and CEO, Elizabeth M. Lucas, CAE, MBA, to serve on its Key Global Associations Committee, which facilitates the exchange of information among top executives of key global associations and societies. “Collaborating with leaders from associations all over the world is a tremendous experience,” Lucas said. “I look forward to the exchange of ideas this environment will foster.”
• Advanced Solutions International (ASI), developers of the association management software, iMIS, awarded Soroptimist its Great Things Award, which recognizes clients for successfully using the software to help further their missions and accomplish great things. Soroptimist uses iMIS to maintain its database of more than 35,000 members. 
• Soroptimist also received a platinum MarCom Award in the writing/feature article category for its article, “Two Worlds, One Dream,” which ran in the December 2012 issue of its Best for Women magazine. The article, written by staffer Darlene Friedman, examines the challenges facing girls in both the developing and developed world through the eyes of two fictional teenagers. The MarCom Award is an international creative competition that recognizes outstanding achievement by marketing and communication professionals.  
• LiveYourDream.org, Soroptimist’s online volunteer portal that empowers people to volunteer offline through programs that improve the lives of women and girls, received the Salsa Labs, Inc., All Star Award. Salsa, a platform that helps nonprofits ignite action by growing and engaging a base of online support, presented the award to a new client using the software to its fullest capacity for measurable success. In just one year, LiveYourDream.org gained 25,000 supporters, raised more than $16,000 in donations, and orchestrated 6,500 advocacy actions to help empower women and girls to live their dreams. 
• In addition, LiveYourDream.org, received the W3 Silver Award for excellence in activism. This award recognizes websites that encourage change, movement, reform, revolution and involvement.  The W3 is sanctioned and judged by the International Academy of Visual Arts, an invitation-only body consisting of top-tier professionals from acclaimed media, interactive, advertising and marketing firms.

"As a membership organization, our intent is to enable our clubs and members to successfully deliver our mission.” added Lucas. “We are proud to serve as their partners in helping women and girls the world over to achieve their full potential."

Headquartered in Philadelphia (USA), SIA represents 1,300 Soroptimist clubs across 19 countries and territories. The Federation’s major program, the Women’s Opportunity Awards, provides cash grants to women for education and training, leading to improved career prospects. Since 1972, the award-winning program has disbursed more than $30 million to tens of thousands of women throughout the world. Soroptimist is also developing a new program that will provide career guidance and support to girls. A 501(c)(3) organization that relies on charitable donations to support its programs, the organizationa also powers LiveYourDream.org—an online community offering offline volunteer opportunities in support of women and girls.

Soroptimist International of the Americas website

LiveYourDream.org