February 2016

February 1, 2016, New roof is done! Special thanks to Bighorn Golf Club Charities Bighorn Cares donation which helped underwrite the cost of a new roof for our Desert Hot Springs recovery center.

January 2016

January 26, 2016, Click on the image below to view the official Save the Date flyer for the 2016 “A Day of Hope” luncheon fundraiser. We hope to see you there!

Day of Hope Save the Date Flyer

January 15, 2016, Click on the following link below to view a pdf version of the latest edition of the Soroptimist House of Hope E-Newsletter.

January 2016 Newsletter

January, 11, 2016, BIGHORN Golf Club Charities has distributed over $500,000 in grants from its BIGHORN Cares program to 47 qualified non-profit organizations, including Soroptimist House of Hope, whose work benefits the most under-served citizens in the Coachella Valley. BIGHORN Golf Club Charities developed the BIGHORN Cares program to fund specific projects produced by local non-profit organizations that demonstrate a need and are significantly impacting the quality of life for the people they serve. Click on the link below to view the official BIGHORN Cares Press Release.

Bighorn Cares Awards $500,000 Press Release

November News 2015

November 20, 2015, The International Dancers of Sunlakes of the San Gorgonio Pass area, presented donations to three local charities, and selected Soroptimist House of Hope as one of their recipients. Check out the photos below from the check presentation and click on the link to read a full article covering the story in the Record Gazette.

Click here to view/read the Record Gazette News Article on the International Dancers of Sunlakes Donations

November 15, 2015, Click on the link below to view the latest Soroptimist House of Hopes E-Newsletter.

November 2015 Newsletter

November 13, 2015, Soroptimist International of Palm Desert hosted the House of Hope Residents for a very special night at the Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountain National Monument in Palm Desert.
The House of Hope clients along with SI Palm Desert Members, enjoyed a beautiful sunset as they paused during their short hike/tour to see the property. One of the monument volunteers gave a 45 min. guided tour of the property explaining the different plants and how the Indians used them for their cooking and medicinal uses. The group enjoyed a delicious potluck dinner on the patio overlooking the Coachella Valley, watched a short film of how vast and beautiful the monument is and its history. A special thank you to Soroptimister Jess Rosenberg and Soroptimist Janice Hermosa who are both Volunteers at the Visitors Center. It was an extraordinary evening enjoyed by all. 

-Becky Goebel, President
Soroptimist International Palm Desert

September News 2015

Lupe Stoneburner, SHOH Program Manager and George Fisher, SHOH President attended the Coachella Valley Spotlight Awards on September 22, 2015 as a past recipient of the award.

September 29, 2015, Soroptimist House of Hope is recognized in the October issue of Desert Charities Newsletter as a past recipient of the Coachella Valley Spotlight award for $25,000. The featured article celebrates a unique partnership between H.N. and Frances C. Berger Foundation and CBS Local 2 awarding over 80 local community non-profits with a grand total of approximately $2 million since 2008. To read more please click on the following link to view the October issue of Desert Charities News, you will find the article on page 16. Thank you for your continued support.

September, 15, 2015, Last month House of Hope Past President, Dot Reed, celebrated her birthday by organizing a Phantom birthday party where she encouraged SHOH friends and supporters to make a donation to the House of Hope in lieu of gifts or attending a party. We are overjoyed to say that through this event SHOH received over $2,600 in donations that will help support our programs and overall mission.

July News 2015

July 20, 2015, Video highlights from our second annual fundraising luncheon “A Day of Hope” are now available to watch on the Soroptimist House of Hope YouTube page. Check out the video below and don’t forget to “subscribe” to our page. Thank you for your continued support.

June News 2015

June 5, 2015, Soroptimist House of Hope is featured in the June issue of Valley Woman Magazine. The article is written by June Allan Corrigan entitled, “Soroptomist House of Hope, Helping women in recovery get their lives back on track.” Click here to read the online issue and full article on page 5. Valley Woman Magazine is also available in printed form at local community retail and grocery stores like Walmart and Stater Bro’s.

June 3, 20105, Click here to view a Post Day of Hope press release featured on page 7, in the Desert Star Weekly newspaper. The Desert Star Weekly is a community newspaper covering the Palm Springs area and the Coachella Valley, including the desert cities of: Cathedral City; Rancho Mirage; Palm Desert; La Quinta; Indian Wells; Indio; and Desert Hot Springs. Desert Star Weekly covers locally relevant news, events, arts, entertainment, business, travel, sports and health, as well as local government, crime, fire and politics. The newspaper is distributed FREE to more than 450 drop spots in the Coachella Valley and the Hi Desert.

May News  2015

May 13, 2015, Soroptimist House of Hope President, Dot Reed, has been mentioned in the May issue of  the Valley Woman Magazine as a Notable Community Leader for her proclamation from State Senator Jeff Stone for over 40 years of service and support for the Soroptimist House of Hope. Check out Dot’s recognition on page 5 of the online issue of Valley Woman Magazine by clicking here. Valley Woman Magazine is also available in printed form at local community retail and grocery stores like Walmart and Stater Bro’s.

April News  2015

April 18, 2015, House of Hope’s second annual “A Day of Hope” fundraising event was held on Saturday, April 18 at the Skyborne Clubhouse in Desert Hot Springs.  CBS Local2 News Chief Meteorologist Patrick Evans served as host, and keynote speakers included House of Hope Board President Dot Reed, Executive Director Cynthia “Oma” Gray, Assistant Director Leslee Blake, and House of Hope alumnus Arla Provo.  Dot Reed was recognized as the event’s honoree for her three decades of dedicated service to House of Hope and presented with a beautiful Lladro angel figurine as a token of our appreciation and love and a proclamation from State Senator Jeff Stone. Eighty-eight (88) guests dined on a delicious buffet lunch provided by Crazy Coyote Tacos in Banning and celebrated our success in assisting women overcoming substance use disorders to build sober and productive lives.  The event raised $7,000 (75% higher than last year!) through ticket sales, a silent auction and a raffle, and all proceeds will be used to help provide our valuable programs to the greatest number of women possible.  Thanks to all who attended and look for information on our 2016 event next April! Check out our photo gallery below.

Click here to view the official Post – 2015 Day of Hope Press Release.

February News 2015

February 27, 2015, “Dancing With Our Stars” declares winners for 2015 dance competition held at the Agua Caliente Ballroom in Cathedral City on Feb. 15.  As the impressive dance competition finished and the votes were counted, Carmen Lopez and partner Van Spencer were awarded two trophies!  One for third place for the People’s Choice award and another for the second highest fundraising amount for her charity choice: $2,000.00 for the Soroptimist House of Hope. We are so proud of Carmen for her hard work and dedication and her home club of Soroptimist Desert Cities for their support to Soroptimist House of Hope!

We thank all of the people who gave of their time and dollars to support Carmen and this fun charity experience.

Check out all the fun below. Click here to view the Official 2015 Post Dancing with Our Stars PR.

Click here to checkout an online article from the Desert Sun.

January News 2015

January 12, 2015, On January 10th, 2015 Soroptimist House of Hope held a special Ribbon Cutting and Dedication Ceremony for a newly constructed Multipurpose Room at our Desert Hot Springs recovery residence. The new room was funded by the Frank N. & Gertrude R. Doyle Foundation and was dedicated in memory of Joyce L. Scott, dearest friend and former Executive Director of Soroptimist House of Hope who served over 24 years. The event was enjoyed by all who came to celebrate and support this special event. Soroptimist House of Hope Board of Directors and staff were joined by the Desert Hot Springs Chamber of Commerce, House of Hope Alumni, family members of the remembered Joyce L. Scott, and many other supportive members of the community. Check out the photo gallery below.

Click here to read the official Ribbon Cutting-Room Dedication Final Press Release.

January 5 , 2015, Soroptimist House of Hope is returning to the dance floor for the exciting charity event, Dancing with Our Stars, on February 15, 2015 at 1:00 pm at the Agua Caliente Casino in Rancho Mirage. Dancing with Our Stars pairs leaders of our community with local dance professionals for a multi-charity event as each couple dances for the charity of their choice. Carmen Lopez and her dance partner Van Spencer, will be dancing to support Soroptimist House of Hope. Tickets for the event are $80; includes lunch & $20 donation towards votes. Please click on the link below for more information on ticket orders. Thank you for your support.

Click here for Dancing with Our Stars Voting & Ticket Form

Click here to read the Official 2015 Dancing with Our Stars Press Release

November News 2014

November 18, 2014, We are very pleased to announce that we are extending our program made possible in part by a grant from The Community Foundation Serving the Counties of Riverside and San Bernardino. The $4,240 grant will support our Substance Use Disorder Family Program at our Desert Hot Springs recovery facility. This generous award will enable us to enroll our clients and their family members in a 3-Day Family Program conducted by The Ranch Recovery Services. The Family Program offers valuable information and workshops in an intensive format. helping families understand the disease of addiction, how to change family dynamics, learn communication skills, and support the recovery process to build healthy families.  This new component to our services will strengthen our “continuum-of-care” program strategy so that we can better fulfill our important mission.

Many thanks to The Community Foundation for its generosity and belief in our efforts!

Click here to view the official Press Release The Community Foundation Grant PR

November 10, 2014, Soroptimist House of Hope will be hosting an Open House on Thursday, November 13th for our participation in the Give BIG Riverside County fundraising event. This live event will feature refreshments, community, fun, and giving. Click on the image of our flyer for more information. We hope to see you all there!

For more information on Give BIG Riverside County click here.

To make a donation to the Soroptimist House of Hope through the Give BIG Riverside County Campaign please click here.

October 23, 2014, Soroptimist House of Hope is excited to announce that we will be participating in this years Give BIG Riverside County fundraising campaign. Give BIG Riverside County is an online 24 hour web-a-thon that raises much needed funds for local non-profits. To learn more about the campaign and how we plan to use our funds toward our program please take a few minutes to read our Press Release below. Also, be sure to stay tuned here on our website and our Facebook page for up to date information.

Helpful Links

• Give Big Riverside County PR
• www.givebigriversidecounty.org
• www.facebook.com/SoroptimistHouseofHope

October 15, 2014, The Frank M. and Gertrude R. Doyle Foundation and BIGHORN Golf Club Charities have both awarded $25,000 grants to replace our two aging passenger vans, used at the Desert Hot Springs recovery facility to transport our clients to health care, social services, and community service activities. This month we were able to purchase one of the two new vans, a new Dodge Grand Caravan. Many special thanks to both organizations for helping to improve our program and make a difference in our clients lives.

September 1, 2014, Ralphs offers a community donation program and you may designate Soroptimist House of Hope as your charity by selecting us on your Ralphs Rewards card.  It costs you nothing yet every time you shop, Ralphs will make a donation to us!  Take a few moments to give Soroptimist House of Hope the benefit of Ralphs generous donation policy by reviewing the following Press Release below.

Ralphs Community Contributions Program Press Release

August 30, 2014, Click on the the link below to read the House of Hope 2013-2014 Annual Report and discover more about who we are and what we do. In addition, learn about our 2013-2014 accomplishments and what we are looking forward to in the future. Thank you for your support.

House_of_Hope_2013-2014_Annual_Report_

July 23, 2014, Amazon will now donate to Soroptimist House of Hope 0.5% of the price of your eligible purchase(s) when you shop at AmazonSmile. AmazonSmile is a simple and automatic way to support your favorite charitable organization every time you shop, at no cost to you and with the same exact shopping experience as Amazon.com.

Already have an existing Amazon account? No problem! You can use your existing Amazon.com account on AmazonSmile. To start shopping, simply go to smile.amazon.com from the web browser on your computer or mobile device and sign in with your existing Amazon account or create a new account. Next, select Soroptimist House of Hope as your charity of choice before you begin to shop. Moving forward, every eligible purchase you make on AmazonSmile will result in a donation to Soroptimist House of Hope. Tens of millions of products are eligible for donations and will be marked “Eligible for AmazonSmile donation” on their product detail pages.

Thank you for your support. Happy Shopping!

To learn more click here.

July 14, 2014, The bathroom renovations have been completed at the Desert Hot Springs house thanks to our grant from the Doyle Foundation. Both bathrooms have been completely redone and they are beautiful and more functional for the girls in the house. Take a look at some before and after photos below.

July 12, 2014,

An Open Letter in Memory of Joyce Scott, former Soroptimist House of Hope Executive Director

Joyce came to help out the House of Hope as a temporary volunteer not knowing she would be working there for 25 years. I remember her always wearing her cowboy boots, leather vest, and Jeans with a handkerchief bandana. Joyce had a way of planting seeds all the time; she would open doors that had been closed. One memorable moment is when Joyce stood up for me when I was being wrongfully accused for something I could have done 6 years in prison for. I believe that was my turning point. Joyce believed in me and at that moment I knew it was time for me to change and quit hurting my friends and family and become a lady. Today, I have a beautiful life and a wonderful husband that treats me with dignity and respect. Joyce always gave 100%, even when she didn’t feel good she gave everything she could. I will continue to honor the legacy she gave me and the women I sponsor with 25 years, 19 years and 16 years that all got clean and sober with mamma Joyce as the Director of House of Hope.  We will continue to share her message, “God doesn’t make junk!.” We are perfect in his eyes and believe we are Gods kids as she was. Joyce would say, “as long as you put this program first and work with Gods kids everything is going to be alright.” Joyce you were my Angel, my Rock and most of all, my Hero.

Love always, Miss Jana

As Joyce would say “Good morning Lord this is your Day show me the way…”

May 2014 –

May 22, 2014, Soroptimist House of Hope has been featured in an online article for the Desert Sun. Journalist Dodie Cross sat down at the DHS House with Program Manager Lupe Stoneburner, President Dot Reed, and Alumni Toni Rivera-Moreno and discussed how the Soroptimist House of Hope is “filling a need” in the local community. Click on the link below to read the full article.

Click here to read “DHS House of Hope turns woman’s life around” article in the Desert Sun

May 3rd, 2014, “Art in the Park” a Spring Festival and Art Show – On Saturday, May 3rd, 2014, Soroptimist House of Hope, including Executive Director, Oma Gray, assisted with the Antique Firetruck rides at the Spring Festival Art Show, “Art in the Park”, to support The Cultural Alliance of Banning in their mission to provide opportunities in the arts.

April 2014 –

Saturday, April 5, 2014, On Saturday, April 5, 2014, Soroptimist House of Hope held its first annual “A Day of Hope” fundraising luncheon at the Skyborne Clubhouse in Desert Hot Springs. The event featured CBS Local 2 News Morning Anchor, Jenifer Daniels as the emcee for the event. Through ticket sales, a silent auction, and raffle at the event, House of Hope raised $4,000 to support their substance use disorder recovery programs for women of the Coachella Valley and San Gorgonio Pass. View the Day of Hope Fundraiser photo gallery

Additional photographed runners up: Judy Tobin May, Big Brothers Big Sister of the Desert. Connie Golds, Desert Best Friends Closet, Mike Pierson, General Patton Memorial, Lee Vanderbeck, Joslyn Center, Ruth Moir, The Steinway Society, Marianne Benson, We Care Dental, Dr. Richard Darling, FAIR Foundation

April 6, 2014, On Thursday, April 3, 2014, our very own Cynthia “Oma” Gray, House of Hope Executive Director, was recognized at the 2014 Executive Director of the Year Awards Luncheon presented by the Desert Community Foundation. Oma was selected as a runner up and received a grant in recognition for her services to the Coachella Valley through the Soroptimist House of Hope. The Executive Director of the Year Award was presented to Connie Montgomery, LiLac (Literacy,Language & Cultural Centers, Inc.), and Erica Stone, SOS. Congratulations to all the winners and runners up for this prestigious recognition.

April 3, 2014, Dot Reed, Soropitimist House of Hope President, was featured as a guest columnist in The Press-Enterprise informing readers about substance use disorders and our 1st Annual “A Day of Hope” luncheon fundraiser. Click on the link below to read Dot’s article “House of Hope Offers New Life.”

Click here to read Dot’s article featured in the Press-Enterprise

View the Day of Hope Fundraiser photo gallery

March 2014 –

Soroptimist House of Hope receives the Coachella Valley Spotlight Award Check

March 10, 2014, Soroptmist House of Hope is being featured  as the CV Spotlight Grant recipient for the month of March.  CBS Local 2 and the H.N. and Frances C. Berger Foundation  present the Coachella Valley Spotlight, a celebration of the good  work of the community’s many charitable organizations that  are providing services to local residents. For more information  click on the link below to download and view the CV Spotlight  Grant Press Release.

Preview: “A $25,000 grant from the H.N. and Frances C.  Berger Foundation will help local women seeking sobriety through the Soroptimist House of Hope (SHOH). The funding comes from the Coachella Valley Spotlight, a partnership between the Berger Foundation and CBS Local 2.”

CV Spotlight Grant Press Release

Click here to view our Eye on the Desert TV Spot on CBS 2 Local News

Click here to view our CV Spotlight Grant CBS 2 Promo

Soroptimist House of Hope receives a grant during the 2014 BNP Paribas Open

March 6, 2014, Soroptimist House of Hope’s very own Lupe  Stoneburner attended Champions Night at the Indian Wells  Tennis Gardens during the BNP Paribas Open tournament to  represent House of Hope as the recipient of a $3,000 grant  from The  Champions Vounteer Foundation, a unique group of  people coming together, donating their time to raise funds for  charitable purposes including, but not limited to, youth  recreational, educational and well-care programs.

February 2014 –

Click on the link below to check out the Soroptimist House of Hope mention in the latest January/February Desert Charities News on pages 32-33 in the article about the 2014 Coachella Valley Spotlight Award Winners titled “H.N. and Frances C. Berger Foundation Ready to Present More Coachella Valley Spotlight Grants”

Click here to view the January/February Desert Charities News Digital Edition

February 16, 2014, On February 16, 2014, our very own Rose Marie Rae participated in the Dancing with Our Stars charity event and won 1st place trophy for Most Money Raised and Audience Favorite Performance. Dancing with Our Stars pairs leaders of our community with local dance professionals for a multi-charity event, as each couple dances for the charity of their choice.  Rose Marie raised over $9,300 for Soroptimist House Hope!Watch Rose Marie Rae and McNeil Altwood’s winning performance here!

November 2013 –

Click here to read our Foundation Spotlight article published in the Press Enterprise

Preview: “Focusing on disadvantaged women who have hit rock bottom, Soroptimist House of Hope moves women off the streets and onto the path of addiction recovery…”

December 2013 –

Click here to read our 2013 Year End Donation Campaign Letter

In Memoriam to E. “Brigitte” Lange Page, Co-Founder of Soroptimist House of Hope

E. “Brigitte” Lange Page

Our beloved friend and co-founder of Soroptimist House of Hope, E. Brigitte Lange Page, passed away of natural causes at her home in Banning on December 3, 2013.

E. Brigitte Lange, known by her friends and loved ones as Brigitte, was born in Berlin, Germany on September 16, 1924. Growing up in Germany while Hitler came into power in 1933, Brigitte and her family lived in terror because of her mother’s Jewish heritage. Unable to attend college, because the Nazis considered her “non-human”, she entered business school. She became fluent in several languages and was proficient in accounting, typing and shorthand. She worked in the Japanese Embassy as a translator. After World War II, she got a job at the American Embassy in Berlin, and in the summer of 1946, she met her husband of 58 years, a “crazy” America as she describes, Lt. Wilbur (Bill) E. Page, in the 252nd Army Corps Engineers.

Brigitte came to America on September 9, 1947 on a War Bride quota, as the bride of Lt. Page. They lived in upper New York State, where she worked for General Electric until 1957, when Bill’s health required them to move to a warmer climate.

Banning’s First Woman Mayor and Entrepreneur

After moving to Banning from New York, Brigitte showed no signs of slowing down. She was co-owner and business manager of Page Auto Exchange/Page Datsun, which she and Bill began in 1957. They sold the business in 1979. In addition, Page wrote a column in Banning’s local community newspaper, Record Gazette, for nearly 25 years, called “Brigitte’s Corner”. In 1976, Brigitte became Banning’s first woman Mayor after being elected to City council from 1975-1984. She was elected by the council to serve as mayor again 1982. She was also the first woman President of the Riverside County Mayor’s and Councilmen’s Conference in April 1980. Brigitte was an example of a wonderful leader who’s commitment and work made a direct impact in her community.

Model Citizen: Contributions and Awards

Brigitte contributed her time and heart to a numerous amount of organizations serving titles such as President, Director, Treasurer, Fiscal Officer, and Director Emeritus. In addition, she received over a dozen awards and recognition. Above all, the contributions closest to her heart and that she found the most rewarding where the Soroptimist International, an organization of women helping women, and Soroptimist House of Hope, a recovery home for women with alcohol and chemical dependency in Desert Hot Springs, which she co-founded in1981. Brigitte is also credited as the founder of the former San Gorgonio Childcare Consortium, and established the San Gorgonio Hospital Foundation.

For more information regarding memorial services and further details on the life of E. “Brigitte” Lange Page, please visit the following link for an article written in detail on her heartwarming escapades http://www.recordgazette.net/news/article_6c5bbaec-684b-547a-b1e0-d0d40d4fa18d.html

Brigitte, is survived by son, Gary (Debbie) of Manchester, MI, and daughter Linda Page of Banning; step-daughter Bobbi (Jack) Ferris, of El Cajon; as well as grandchildren Leah Page, Beth (Chris) Kaufield, and Zac (Lynae) Page; and numerous step-grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and great-great-grandchildren, and several nieces and nephews.