Covid-19 and The Rotary Foundation

These are trying times, both health wise and financially.  This is very evident at Rotary International headquarters in Evanston, IL where personnel are not being permitted to enter the building.

 

Should you be able and willing to make a contribution to the Foundation at this time, Elizabeth Davis, our Rotary Annual Fund Giving Officer, has sent the following guidelines.

 

1. The Rotary Support Center does not have phone or contribution processing capabilities at this time.  They are only available to answer inquires via email.  Their email address is rotarysupportcenter@rotary.org.   Members should not email contributions to this email address.

 

2. Any contributions sent to One Rotary Center will not be processed for some time.  Additionally, our capability for accepting faxed contributions has also been placed on hold indefinitely.   We highly encourage members who would like to contribute to do so online at myrotary.org/donate.

 

3. At this time, our lockbox address, The Rotary Foundation 14280 Collections Center Drive, Chicago, IL, 60693, listed on contribution forms is active.  However, should USPS discontinue service this will become an issue as well.  Again, the best place to make a contribution is online at myrotary.org/donate. 

 

 I also know that some of you are using Rotary Direct to make your contribution.  Others have already made this Rotary year’s contribution. I thank you very much for having done so. If you have not yet made a contribution, please consider doing so.  In this time of worldwide crisis, our Rotary Foundation needs your help more than ever.

 

The Rotary Foundation Trustees recently met and made a number of decisions regarding grant options to give clubs and districts increased flexibility in dealing with the pandemic. These changes involve both District Grants  and Global Grants and allowing Rotary Disaster Response Fund grants to be used in fighting Covid-19. (See separate story for details)

 

 

Meanwhile, despite the practical problems we are all experiencing regarding meetings, we want to strongly encourage clubs to go forward with planning for a District Grant application this year. A District Grant proposal can involve a Covid-19 response. I will shortly be sending out an invitation to join our live Zoom on-line Grant Management Seminar on March 31.

 

 

Stay safe and be well.

Lawrence  Furbish
District 7780 Foundation Committee Chair