Soroptimist is a global volunteer organization that provides women and girls with access to the education and training they need to achieve economic empowerment.
Districts
There are five districts within the Founder Region, and the Novato club is part of District III along with Calistoga, Clear Lake, Healdsburg, Marin County, Mendocino-Sonoma Coast, Napa, Oakmont Wine Country, St. Helena, St. Helena Sunrise, Santa Rosa, Sonoma Valley, West Sonoma County, and Windsor.
Founder Region
These five districts comprise the Founder Region, which is so named because the first Soroptimist club met and was chartered in Oakland, California in 1921 when the first club, Alameda County, was formed. The Constitution of that first club stated the purpose of Soroptimist was “To foster the spirit of service…” That purpose and “spirit of service” drives every Soroptimist club, district, region, and federation to this day.
In addition to other programs, the region’s permanent identifying project is Founder Region Fellowship. This effort offers $60,000 in fellowships and grants to women enrolled in graduate schools within the boundaries of Founder Region who are in the last year of their doctoral studies.
The Founder Region is one of 28 regions of Soroptimist International of the Americas (SIA), with territory that encompasses ten north coast counties in California, the State of Hawai’i, and the U.S. territories of Guam and the Marianas.