The Soroptimist International of Rancho Cordova and Gold River stuffed 200 Comfort Kits in 45 minutes. Photo courtesy of Soroptimist International of Rancho Cordova and Gold River

RANCHO CORDOVA, CA (MPG) - The Soroptimist International of Rancho Cordova and Gold River club spent a day at the Gold River Mountain Mike’s Pizza to stuff 200 Comfort Kits.

The Soroptimist International of Rancho Cordova & Gold River club has members from Carmichael, Citrus Heights, Gold River, Lincoln Village, Anatolia, Mather, Rosemont, Rancho Cordova, Sacramento and Natomas.

Gold River Mountain Mike’s Pizza donated the use of its party room for free.

A Comfort Kit is a zippered heavy duty tote bag filled with a 30-day supply of personal hygiene items and light 50x60" blanket to be given to domestic violence and trafficking survivors.

“We had over 30 community volunteers, students and even a Rancho Cordova pageant queen help us stuff each tote bag. We reserved the Mountain Mike’s party room for four hours but were able to stuff all 200 tote bags in just 45 minutes, because we had so many incredible volunteers,” said Soroptimist Vice-President Sheryl Longsworth.

Comfort Kits are meant for domestic violence and trafficking survivors. Photo courtesy of Soroptimist International of Rancho Cordova and Gold River

Originally, the intention was to have the Rancho Cordova Police Department give a Comfort Kit to a survivor during domestic violence calls. Unfortunately, that arrangement didn’t work as hoped, due to an unforeseen logistical issue, according to Soroptimist members.

A representative from the Sacramento Family Justice Center (SFJC) talked during a Soroptimist club business meeting on the services that the center provides. After the presentation, the Soroptimists decided to make Sacramento Family Justice Center a new distribution partner. The Sacramento Family Justice Center agreed and a partnership was born.

Soroptimist members delivered most of its Comfort Kits to the Sacramento Family Justice Center and, in a matter of weeks, the kits were handed out to grateful domestic violence, sexual assault and trafficking survivors. Now the Soroptimists are making more Comfort Kits. To learn more about the Sacramento Family Justice Center’s services with domestic violence survivors, sexual assault survivors, trafficking survivors, and elder and child abuse resources, visit https://www.sacramentofjc.org/services.

Soroptimist is an international nonprofit organization that seeks to improve the lives of women and girls through programs leading to social and economic empowerment. The name, Soroptimist, means "best for women," and that's what the organization strives to achieve.

To receive more information about Soroptimist International of Rancho Cordova & Gold River, how to become a member or how to volunteer, call Longsworth at 916-833-1218 or visit http://www.soroptimistranchocordova.org.