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June 2001 Volume 1, Number 1

Grant Work "Pays" Off
Soroptimist International of Pleasant Hill

Soroptimist International of Pleasant Hill facilitated a grant from Y&H Soda Foundation for Special Olympics of Northern California

On Friday, May 11, Special Olympics of Northern California - East Bay (SONC-EB) received the good news that their grant request had been approved by the Y&H Soda Foundation located in Orinda, California.

This process began with the Grant Writing Committee of Soroptimist International of Pleasant Hill in December 2000. After various conversations with both the parties, on December 16 SIPH submitted a letter of intent to the Soda Foundation. The letter submitted a two-year grant request for $32,000.

Special Olympics is a year-round sports program for children and adults with mental retardation / developmental disabilities.

The grant request of $16,000 a year will cover the expense of their summer training program, which is scheduled in a variety of locations throughout the East Bay. The training takes place from March through June and the sports that are involved include aquatics, bocce ball, gymnastics, tennis and track and field. The $32,000 covers all costs for facilities and equipment for two years.

All trainers volunteer their services.

Eligible athletes are all children and adults, at least 8 years old, with mental retardation/developmental disabilities. This typically includes all individuals with mental retardation, combination deaf-blindness, autism, traumatic head injury, and most individuals with cerebral palsy and specific learning disabilities.

Today there are 1,200 individuals with developmental disabilities involved in SONC-EB. This program is offered at no cost to the athletes. There are 70,491 individuals in the East Bay with developmental disabilities, and SONC-EB has a goal to serve approximately one-third of this population. This goal has initiated a four-year campaign to double the families served, which will increase the current number of athletes to 2,400. Concurrently, the campaign will double the annual budget requirement of Special Olympics. The grant received from Soda Foundation will make a difference in helping Special Olympics reach their goal.

The "heart and soul" of the Grant research is our own Karen Barnes-Jarvis. She has put in many hours by filling out forms, telephone communications, letter writing - tenacity paid off in the end. Karen, you are an invaluable asset to our Club.