Soroptimist Seattle Metro
Est. 1925
The first Soroptimist club in Seattle was in the summer of 1925 after the organization’s founding in Oakland, California, in 1921. Seattle’s population of 350,000 included a small but ambitious group of nine women who had a membership goal of 100. Bertha K. Landes, president of the Seattle City Council and later mayor of Seattle, was the speaker at the club’s first meeting. Mrs. Landes was the first woman mayor of a large US city.
The Seattle Metro charter was signed on October 14, 1925. Among the charter members were Mrs. Landes; Ella McBride, internationally acclaimed photographer; Margaret Porter, an entrepreneur who started her own food products company; Mary Ann Wells, dance teacher whose ballet students achieved success worldwide; Dr. Lillian Erwin, who practiced medicine for fifty years; and many members in the arts community.
The 1920-1930s
Supporting arts and culture in a growing new city.
The early years of the club were a time of growth for Seattle with the Civic Auditorium opening and Charles Lindberg’s visit to Sand Point. Soroptimists played an active role in the cultural life of Seattle. In its first year, the Seattle Metropolitan Soroptimists registered voters, furnished a room for children at Firlands Sanitarium, made Thanksgiving baskets for the needy, taught English as a Second Language at the Seamen’s Club, and sponsored recitals at Cornish.
The 1940s
Humanitarian efforts during WWII
The club strengthened Soroptimist in the Northwest by chartering nine clubs during the ’40s. Soroptimists mobilized during World War II, supplying Christmas duffle bags for men serving in the Aleutians, donating a mobile canteen to the Red Cross, and donating 2,400 books to the USO library. The club also filled the need for a drop-in center for women in the military.
Responding to the needs of Soroptimists in war-torn Europe, Seattle Soroptimists donated underwear, food, and medical supplies to Soroptimist clubs in Holland and Budapest. In addition, the club supported a nursing school in China and a weaving project helping women to support themselves in China.
The 1950s
Strengthening community services for Seattle area women and children.
Seeking a new community service challenge to replace the Mother’s Home Society, the club established the Memorial Fund for Youth to provide necessities such as eyeglasses and dental work and some extras such as music lessons for low -income children.
The club continued to support Girl Scouts and Campfire, a nursery school at Yesler Terrace, and a children’s waiting area at the Welfare Department. The club also sponsored a Hungarian refugee family.
However, the club’s major initiative was to start its own scholarship fund, which later became the Student Loan Fund. One of its recipients is Soroptimist member Dr. Bertha Barriga, who received her degree from UW and practiced and taught dentistry.
The 1960s
Remarkable members start new and ambitious programs.
Soroptimists continued their support for community causes and launched the start-up of the Seattle Indian Center and Puget Sound Big Sisters. Members such as Jesse Krueger, director of Travelers Aid, and Elizabeth Ayer (pictured here), the first woman to graduate from UW School of Architecture were leading voices for the club’s influence in creating programs to serve the needs of women, such as the Studio Club, a residential treatment program for women alcoholics.
Cocktail parties and an annual Italian Dinner were just part of the fundraising efforts to support this ambitious undertaking.
The 1970s
Raising awareness of domestic violence and advocacy for the outdoors.
With start-up projects from the sixties successfully launched, the club continued support of longstanding assistance to youth through camperships and Outward Bound scholarships for school dropouts. The club acquired a lot in the Central Area to be used for a Pea Patch nutrition program for the Central Area Girls Club. Two decades later, the land was not used for the original project and the land sold with proceeds seeding the club’s Scholarship Endowment Fund.
The club became more aware of the problem of domestic violence and was in the forefront of efforts to help victims through the legal process. In 1976, Kay Frank and a law student worked with the police department, Legal Services, Harborview Hospital, and many other referral sources. The club funded this program through 1978.
Soroptimist member and Ret. Superior Court Judge Mary Brucker was one of our members most responsible for taking on this effort to assist women and promote awareness of domestic violence. And two additional are clubs were chartered – Auburn and Kent – during this decade.
The 1980s
Employment and education programs for working women.
Though membership slipped due to job and family responsibilities, new members injected more youth into the club. Service projects were more focused on the needs of women and children. To support projects the club started an annual auction which raised more money than smaller events. Service projects included a daycare center for low-income parents, a three-bedroom apartment with Seattle Housing Authority for a homeless family, and Washington Women’s Employment and Education.
The club continued its tradition of weekly lunch meetings with a speaker. Seattle also hosted the Soroptimist Federation Convention. This was a great opportunity to connect with Soroptimists from all over North America, South America, Japan, South Korea, and the Philippines.
The 1990s
Providing education opportunities for single mothers.
Seattle Metro Soroptimists raised thousands of dollars through annual auctions. Proceeds helped Seattle Children’s Home with its outreach to youth on the streets, connecting them with housing and health services. We continued our support of Soroptimist education grants for women -- single parents who are pursuing higher education to better support their families.
Weekly program meetings kept members informed about community needs.
SISM club members at the Women’s march in Seattle.
SISM club members having lunch with a visitor from the SI Calcutta India club.
Kathleen serving lunch at Angeline’s, YWCA Women’s Shelter, downtown Seattle.
Myrene in the ‘60s wears with her granddaughter at SISM annual fundraising event.
2000 - present
Though job and personal demands have affected membership recruitment and retention for Soroptimist and other organizations, we take the Margaret Meade quote to heart: “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed, citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.”
Soroptimists decided to sell the Central Area lot that had been used by the Girls Club. Sale proceeds funded the beginning of our Endowment Fund. The fund has grown to over $100,000. The club added its own scholarship dedicated to longtime member Avys Hathaway.
The club began a tradition of making and selling artisan holiday wreaths. Also in this decade, the club started the Secret Shopper program, focused on gift-giving to low-income elderly and disabled women in our community. One of our members, Myrene, makes beautiful hand-crafted jewelry and donates all sale proceeds to the club. We have provided a grant to the YWCA for its Opportunity Place and Angeline’s House, a women’s day shelter, to provide for homeless women in Seattle.
Members and friends also provide and serve a Saturday lunch at Opportunity Place for approximately 150 homeless women in the spring. In recognition of Seattle’s growing population of homeless children, the club provides grants to the Seattle Public Schools Family Support Program, which provides financial assistance to homeless elementary school students.
With Soroptimist International’s work on human trafficking, our club focused on giving to The Bridge, a local YouthCare program to help young girls (and a few boys) recover from the commercial sex trade and restart their lives in a new direction.
in January 2020, Seattle Metro Soroptimists partnered with Alan Sugiyama High School, a Seattle public school, organizing and sponsoring a Career Day with approximately 15 women in the vocational trades and professional arenas discussing with female identifying students their chosen professions. During the pandemic, Seattle Metro provided seed money, literally, to get its Indoor Environmental Program up and running during the 2020-2021 school year and again provided funding in the 2021-2022 school year. It is now a self-sustaining program.
In May of 2021, 2022 and 2023, Seattle Metro Soroptimists donated funds to Weld Seattle, a nonprofit that provides comprehensive services for those formerly incarcerated, including housing. Although Weld’s clients are both men and women, our monetary contributions were earmarked for new bedding, towels, sleep wear, and personal care items for women exiting prison with absolutely no possessions.
In February 2023, Seattle Metro Soroptimists held its first post pandemic in person event at a local pub to benefit Mary’s Place, which provides homeless men, women and families with temporary shelter and resources. Over 80 new bras in all sizes and colors were collected for women and girls. In August 2023, Seattle Metro again partnered with Mary’s Place to collect new school supplies for its clients getting ready for elementary and high school attendance.
In May 2023, Seattle Metro held an in-person Awards Luncheon and Auction to honor our education grants and scholarships awardees from 2020 through 2023. The successful auction and jewelry sales will provide continued funding for education grants and scholarships as well as community service grants.