Rotary Foundation Minute for Week of August 7
 
The historic pledges of over $1 billion of new funds, announced at the Rotary Convention in Atlanta, Georgia last June, will go towards drastically shrinking the $1.5 billion gap in the funding that the partners of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative say is needed to reduce polio cases to zero worldwide. Just eight cases in 2017 have been reported this past month, the lowest number in history.  
 
Bill Gates, co-chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, said ending polio would be one of the world’s greatest achievements. "Polio is the thing I spend the most time on. Everyday I look at my email to see if we have a new case," Gates said. "I'm very inspired to be part of this. I'm also very humbled."
 
Gates promised to extend his 2-to-1 match to cover up to $50 million in donations to Rotary for each of the next three years. The match and donations to Rotary would add up to $150 million per year over the next three years, which will add up to $450 million to the fight.  The new funding will go towards polio eradication efforts such as disease surveillance, responses to any outbreaks, and the vaccination of more than 400 million children annually.
 
Rotary International President John F. Germ announced that Rotary would increase its commitment and raise $50 million per year over the next three years. Rotary has raised more than $1.7 billion to fight the disease since 1985.
 
Among the other countries that financially support the eradication effort are Pakistan ($154.7million), Nigeria ($134.6million) Canada ($75 million), Japan, United Arab Emirates, Australia, Germany, Italy, Korea, Switzerland, Luxemburg, Monaco, Turkey, Spain, Monaco and even the Bloomberg Foundation. 
 
Your continued support of the PolioPlus effort is greatly appreciated.  Thank you.