Our Foundation Director, Kathy McCone, and the Associate Director, Ryan Berg, used the last meeting in October to tell us a bit about the foundation and plans for next month.

 

 

In 1917 the seed was planted for the Rotary Foundation to do good in the world.  You can look at the Rotary Website for more information on the history of the foundation. 

 

The foundations has spend over 3 billion dollars on sustainable projects in the world.

 

All of the money that is taken in is given back to the clubs through district grants.  We have done this twice. The AED’s that we distributed to the community came from a district grant.  If we don’t give,  there is no money to give back. 

 

When you give $1000 annually to the foundation, including the polio fund, you can receive, or give, a Paul Harris.  You can also be a benefactor and add the foundation to your estate plan and when you notify the Rotary Foundation that you will be giving $1000 or more, you receive a certificate. 

 

IF you give $100 per year you become a sustaining member of the foundation.  You can give by giving Kathy a check that she will send in or you can give online. 

 

We are applying for another grant for money for sod around the splash pad.  We received over $100,000 for our Bungoma project that we did 3 years ago.  Joan is now working on another project, this time to Haiti.

 

During the month of November our club offers a match of whatever you give.  The foundation only allows matching in $100 increments. 

 

This year the club will be offering entry into a drawing for prizes for every $25 that is given toward the foundation.  For every $1 that is donated to Polio Plus the Bill and Melinda Gates foundation matches, as well.  We are able to help with water projects, polio, peacekeeping and much more. 

 

Last year we did almost $10,000 and this year we want to do more.  Every time someone donates through the Rotary Club of Arlington the club earns points and that is how we are able to match funds in giving.  You also earn points when you give and those points can be given to other people to honor them.

 

Our foundation is rated every year as one of the top 5 charitable organizations. 

 

For more on the Rotary Foundation including a link to set up electronic giving, click HERE.