Raising Our Roots
Genealogy Research
Raising Our Roots is about reclaiming history, identity, and belonging. Through DNA testing, historical records, and genealogy workshops, we help families trace their lineage and reconnect with their ancestors.
Too many families have been disconnected from their roots. This initiative makes reconnection accessible, affordable, and empowering. It restores identity, heals generational disconnection, and ensures our family histories are preserved and passed forward. Genealogy is about more than discovering the past or building a family tree—it’s about giving future generations knowledge, pride, and a deeper sense of who they are, where they came from, and who they can be.
Heritage & Cultural Celebrations
Heritage is who we are. Culture is where we’re from.
This initiative preserves the traditions, practices, and stories that give our communities their unique identity. From food and music to art, storytelling, and festivals, we celebrate the richness of our roots and pass that pride on to future generations. By sharing our heritage and culture, we build understanding, foster acceptance, and create a community that sees beyond borders—helping us all grow as true global citizens.
SAFE
Support & Accessibility for
Freedom & Ease
SAFE ensures women, seniors, veterans, disabled individuals, and low-income families have access to the resources they need to live with dignity and independence. While many of these services are provided by trusted partners, SAFE serves as the bridge that connects families to food relief, home accessibility, and critical repairs.
Through partnerships with organizations that provide mobility ramps, safety modifications, and critical home repairs, SAFE helps households remain safe, stable, and independent.
Nourish the Valley
(Food Relief)
Nourish the Valley is a hands-on project where Empowered Voices directly distributes food boxes to families in need and assists with registration for programs like Meals on Wheels. By reducing food insecurity and helping seniors and households access long-term support programs, Nourish the Valley ensures that no family is left without the nourishment they need to thrive.
Education & Career Development
Empowering through Education
Education at Empowered Voices is about access and opportunity. We provide adult education workshops in computer literacy, financial literacy, and mentorship, along with college readiness support such as FAFSA application guidance and scholarship research. These resources ensure that students and adults alike have the foundation they need to pursue higher learning with confidence.
Workforce Readiness & Beyond
Our Career Development programs turn knowledge into action. From résumé writing and interview preparation to career counseling and small business entrepreneurship training, we give individuals the tools to advance in today’s workforce. With mentorship and practical support, Career Development empowers members to step into meaningful careers and create lasting impact.
Tails of Hope
Animal Health
Our Animal Health initiatives focus on both caring for pets and creating pathways for diverse voices in veterinary and animal care fields. Through partnerships with shelters, veterinarians, and local organizations, we provide access to low-cost vaccinations, spay/neuter services, and wellness checks. At the same time, we encourage youth and underrepresented groups to pursue careers in veterinary medicine, animal rescue, and shelter management — building a healthier future for animals and a more inclusive workforce.
Adoption Support
Adoption Support helps pets find safe, loving homes while reducing overcrowding in shelters. We sponsor adoption days, provide education for new pet owners, and partner with community organizations to increase awareness about responsible pet care.
By supporting families through the adoption process, we strengthen the bond between people and animals — creating lasting connections that improve well-being on both sides.
Environmental Stewardship
Park & Waterway Clean-Ups
We believe healthy communities start with clean, safe public spaces. Our Environmental Stewardship initiatives organize and support clean-up projects in local parks, neighborhoods, and waterways. By protecting the environment around us, we ensure that families, children, and future generations can enjoy safe spaces for recreation, health, and community life.
Gardening & Education
Gardening is more than planting — it’s about sustainability, health, and connection. Through gardening workshops, community garden plots, and intergenerational learning programs, we teach families how to grow food, herbs, and pollinator-friendly plants.
Gardening helps with mental health, herbs aid healing, and growing food helps to sustain us. These practices build healthy habits, strengthen well-being, and inspire families to work together in creating a cleaner, healthier future.
Seeing Beyond the Border
Glasses to Africa
Seeing Beyond the Border begins with the gift of sight. Through partnerships with the Lions Eyeglass Recycling Center (LERC) and Lions Clubs both in the U.S. and abroad, we collect, sort, and ship eyeglasses to underserved communities in West Africa and beyond.
Even a modest number of glasses can transform lives — helping children succeed in school, parents return to work, and families regain dignity and independence.
Restoring sight is the first step in opening doors to education, opportunity, and global connection.
Passport to Possibility
Seeing Beyond the Border is about more than vision care — it’s about creating global citizens. Our Passport to Possibility initiative encourages Lions, Leos, and families to obtain passports and begin seeing themselves as part of a broader world.
By taking this first step, we prepare our community to embrace cultures, perspectives, and opportunities beyond our own borders. This initiative lays the foundation for future projects that will connect service here at home to impact across the globe.