The opportunities for service are endless in our community. Through the Zonta Club of Everett and through Zonta International, we can help women and girls reach their dreams through educational opportunities, to help stop violence against women and girls, and to improve women’s lives through a variety of local and international service projects. Through Zonta International, projects are in six parts of the world: Bolivia, Niger, Sri Lanka, Liberia, Madagascar, and Afghanistan. We encourage our members to participate in Zonta programs at all levels. See www.zonta.org
Local
Community Service
Hands on Service is our tradition, and we’ve been helping the Everett community and Women and Girls in Snohomish county for more than 90 years.
We believe in making the world a better place by empowering women.
We find joy in doing this in a supportive community of like-minded professionals from diverse countries and cultures.
United Nations
Consultative Status to the UN on SDG5
As an NGO with General Consultative Status, Zonta International is invited to participate in the annual Commission on the Status of Women in New York. The Commission on the Status of Women is:
- A functional commission of the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC).
- The principal global intergovernmental body exclusively dedicated to the promotion of gender equality and the empowerment of women.
- Established by resolution on 21 June 1946 to monitor and promote women’s rights and develop global standards on gender equality and the empowerment of women; mandate expanded in 1996 to include monitoring and reviewing progress made in the implementation of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action.
International Service
Zonta’s Global Impact
In the more than 90 years since its first international service project was funded, Zonta International has contributed nearly US$15.5 million to projects benefiting women in 37 countries.
Through funding from the Zonta International Foundation, the Zonta International Service Program has provided training, education, health, sanitation, agricultural and micro-credit assistance to women, primarily through projects implemented by the agencies of the United Nations and other recognized non-governmental organizations.
During the 2016-2018 Biennium, two projects are being supported by the International Service Fund: Towards Elimination of Obstetric Fistula and Reduction of Maternal and Newborn Mortality in Liberia Let Us Learn Madagascar: An Integrated Program for Adolescent Girls To learn more about the International Service Program and the projects being funded this biennium.
Violence Against Women
Zonta International has selected the eradication of violence against women of all generations as a focus locally and internationally. The Zonta Club of Everett contacted local and state officials and requested that they join Zonta’s worldwide campaign to end the violence.
Violence is inflicted against women all over the world:
- in the United States a woman is battered every 15 seconds and 700,000 women are sexually assaulted annually;
- in Washington State one in three women reports being injured by domestic violence sometime in her lifetime;
- in Snohomish County, in 2015-2016, the only confidential domestic abuse hotline in Snohomish County received 5076 calls for help.
- One in five women in Washington State have experienced rape (wscadv.org).
Violence against women disrupts and destroys lives in our homes, schools, workplaces and throughout our society. By drawing attention to this alarming and pervasive phenomenon, Zonta International hopes to reduce the numbers of women and children whose lives are damaged and improve the quality of life for all of us.
We Support These Community Partners
DVS SNOHOMISH COUNTY
“One of our most dedicated and caring community partners is The Zonta Club of Everett. Everett Zontians have been there with us as we worked to build a new domestic violence shelter and service center, and they have always helped by providing items of need for clients and their children”
COCOON HOUSE – EVERETT
Cocoon House is grateful to the Zonta Club of Everett for its valuable partnership, which over the years had helped to provide housing and supportive services for many at-risk and homeless young parents. By ensuring their safety and stability, and helping to strengthen the independent living and parenting skills they need to thrive, the Zonta Club continues to make long-term, generational impacts in the lives of young people and their babies experiencing significant challenges. We are sothankful for the Zonta Club of Everett’s strong support, and their commitment to breaking the cycle of homelessness!
HOUSING HOPE
The Zonta Club of Everett has been an incredible community partner for Housing Hope. Your support is instrumental in the continued success of our Homeless Teen and Young Parent Program, which serves primarily single mothers ages 16 to 24 and their young children. This program helps these young women stabilize their lives and make progress toward educational and career goals. Thank you, Zontians for your steadfast commitment to helping women in our community achieve their dreams! –
Maud’s House
“Because of funding from Zonta Club of Everett, homeless women with children have a safe place to sleep and can begin their journey to self-sufficiency. Maud’s House works with each woman to develop the skills needed to stabilize their lives and succeed once they leave our transitional shelter. These women wouldn’t be able to reach their full potential without the support of Zonta Everett. We are so very grateful. ” – Maud’s House Volunteers of America, Western WA
Peoria Home
“With the support from Zonta Club of Everett, we are able to continue to provide a contracted mental health provider to support the residents in our program as they navigate their recovery. Peoria Home is dedicated to supporting women survivors of sex trafficking, prostitution, and addiction. We are a best practice, community-based residential model where residents and graduates of our programs experience transformative, sustainable change through long-term, rent-free housing, treatment, case management, education, training, and employment. ” – Peoria Home
Village Community Services
The Zonta Club of Everett has gifted $32,000.00 in grant funds to VCS since our first grant in 2010. As a result, hundreds of women have learned skills they need to secure long-term employment and live with maximum self-sufficiency.
Monroe Gospel Women’s Mission
The Monroe Gospel Women’s Mission has classes for goal setting, smoking cessation, and healthy relationships. We provide the tools and support to help our clients succeed. In 2020, 34 women took classes at the mission. This was made possible through the Zonta grant.
Our goals class teaches homeless women about growing, owning, achieving, and living their personal goals. Laurence J. Peter said, “if you don’t know where you’re going, you will probably end up somewhere else”. Many of our clients enter the mission in a time of lost wandering because they do not know where they are going, and they do not know how to get to where they need to be. The challenges of homelessness quickly snowball as women wrestle with addiction, unhealthy relationships, mental and physical health crises, lack of transportation and so much more. In the goals class, women learn what goals they need to set, how to form an action plan, and obstacles they may encounter. Despite difficulties due to Covid, our clients have completed goals and have the tools to set new goals. They are living with direction and purpose.
Citrine Health
Citrine Health’s mission is to connect women and their families to services and resources for health and wellness. Zonta Club of Everett is an active supporter of Citrine Health’s The Bra Shop. Zonta has provided both start-up funds and on-going support. The Bra Shop provides post-mastectomy bras as well as traditional bras and is one of the few shops in Washington that accepts Medicaid and other insurance reimbursements.
Interfaith Family Shelter
Thank you for the recent grant award. We look forward to working with your club members to get our newest Scattered Site Shelter up and running this fall. Your funds and support will go far in getting families off the street and into more permanent and safe housing.
Refugee & Immigrant Services Northwest (RISNW)
Zonta funding has been integral in our ability to help Afghan women and their children. With most new refugee arrivals, the focus is usually on the male head of household who traditionally is the primary wage earner. Zonta funds equip our female Afghan navigator with the ability to provide culturally appropriate resources (food clothing, hygiene items) and create a support group/network as they stabilize their lives and their families in their new homeland.
The Arc Snohomish County
“The Arc of Snohomish County is so thankful for the generous funding that has been donated by Zonta for years! These funds are used specifically for our Womens Group, which supports women with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). This program is a place for Women with IDD to come together for support and friendship, a place to share resources, and learn new information and skills together. Every woman deserves to live, work, and play in their community and Zonta helps that happen.”
KL, a participant refers to Women’s Group as the “Self-Esteem Class” or the “Feel Good Group”.
Camp Fire Snohomish County
“Camp Fire Snohomish County is immensely grateful for Zonta’s generous donation for young women in our programs. With Zonta’s support, we have been able to bring young women into a nurturing environment where young women can develop essential life skills, build self-confidence, and become leaders in their communities. Zonta’s mission and values align with those of Camp Fire Snohomish County, as we both strive to have a lasting impact on the personal and professional lives of young women, enabling them to excel academically, pursue fulfilling careers, and become influential leaders in society, becoming young women who are passionate about social justice, equality, and giving back to their communities.”
Girls on the Run SnoCo
“Thanks to the funding we’ve received from Zonta Club of Everett, we have been able to offer financial assistance to more kids in our after school program each spring. Girls are facing an unprecedented mental health crisis and having funding from groups such as Zonta helps ensure we can reach kids from all backgrounds throughout our region. In our program, girls and gender-expansive youth learn critical life skills that help them navigate their daily lives in a way that gives them the power to make healthy choices for themselves. The program addresses their physical, mental, emotional, and social health at a key time in their development. It is important to our organization to keep the program accessible to all girls who wish to participate. Zonta helps fund our robust financial aid program and we are extremely grateful!”