As we have written in the CMIRC Bulletin over the last few months, the national lockdown response to the Covid-19 pandemic has created an economic disaster in Northern Thailand. While the measures to restrict travel to Thailand have been successful in preventing the spread of Covid-19 here in Thailand, they have created huge spikes in unemployment and poverty. As described in past Bulletins, CMIRC has led several initiatives to help alleviate hunger among those families who lost their incomes due to the collapse of all tourist and travel related jobs in Chiang Mai and surrounding areas. In the process, we have helped to distribute meals and staple food supplies to thousands of people.
The problem of hunger persists, and we continue to hear from Rotarians and friends of Rotary who wish to help us continue our efforts to feed those in need. At our recent CMIRC Board meeting we discussed how best to continue our efforts where they might have the greatest impact. It was decided that since our Club’s mission is to improve child safety, health, and education, we should direct our efforts to feeding children. CMIRC already has a relationship with Philanthropy Connections and the Shan Women’s Action Network (SWAN) and they had helped us identify the Koung Jor Nursery School close to a Shan refugee camp near the Myanmar border in Chiang Mai Province. 
With the help of the Road to a Better Life Foundation we have been able to fund a school lunch program there for 120 small children for a period of 5 months. The CMIRC Board decided that since our initial funding for the lunches would soon expire, all future donations to our food initiative would be used to extend the nursery school lunch program at Koung Jor Nursery School. CMIRC Rotarians have visited the program and they were all impressed with the meal program, so we know all donations given for this purpose will be well spent!
So, for those who wish to help these 120 children have at least one good meal each day, please donate to our CMIRC Food Initiative. A 10,000 Baht (US$320) donation will feed 120 kids for one month, a 2,500 Baht (US$80) donation will feed 120 kids for one week, and a 500 Baht (US$16) feeds the kids for one day. The meals are simple but nutritious and the staff prepares everything on site. Please contact our club treasurer Nancy NLLindley@msn.com for details about how to donate or reply to the email bulletin.
