WHAT IS FOUNDATION

WHAT IS THE ROTARY INTERNATIONAL FOUNDATION and ROTARY HAWTHORN FRIENDS & BENEFACTORS INITIATIVE

 

The Rotary International Foundation and Rotary Hawthorn Friends & Benefactors Initiative transforms your gifts into service projects that change lives both close to home and around the world.

We are asking our members to help us to build funds so that the increasing income will enable us to do even more to fund OUR Club’s projects and still be able to donate annually to Rotary International Foundation.

 

The Rotary International Foundation

 

In 1917, Rotary International President Arch C. Klumph proposed an endowment "for the purpose of doing good in the world." His vision became The Rotary Foundation.

The Foundation’s Mission is to enable Rotarians to advance world understanding, goodwill and peace through the improvement of health, the support of education and the alleviation of poverty.

When you give to The Rotary International Foundation, you fuel RI service projects - projects that eradicate polio, promote peace and improve developing communities. The Rotary Foundation transforms your gifts into service projects that change lives both close to home and around the world.

During the past 100 years, the Foundation has spent $3 billion on life-changing, sustainable projects. Your donation makes a difference to those who need our help most. More than 90 percent of donations go directly to supporting our service projects around the world.

 

Rotary Club of Hawthorn (RCH) and its Members can contribute in a range of different ways

including:

 

  • Annual Fund Contribution by RCH. RCH budgets for an annual contribution from RCH Survey Street Fund
  • End Polio Now Contribution by RCH.
  • Paul Harris Society. The Paul Harris Society recognises Rotary Members who undertake to contribute $US1,000 each year to The Rotary Foundation of Rotary International.  Rotary Districts often honour new Members of the Paul Harris Society by presenting them with a certificate and chevron at a district or club event.
  • Every Rotarian Every Year (EREY) The EREY initiative asks every Rotarian to support The Rotary Foundation every year. In addition to contributing to the Annual Fund on a regular basis, Members are encouraged to get involved in a Foundation project or program. A goal which many set for themselves is $US100 per year. This program is managed for RCH by a volunteer Rotarian.

 

Individual Rotary Clubs can apply to the Rotary Foundation - both through their Rotary District and Rotary International - for grants towards their projects. Accordingly, funds we contribute to the Rotary Foundation can be returned to us to support our own projects.

 

The Rotary Foundation’s Goals

1. Eradicate polio, our top priority;

2. Build a sense of ownership of our Foundation among Rotarians through their contributions

to the Annual Programs Fund, the Permanent Fund, and our Rotary Peace Centres;

3. Continue our progress on the Future Vision plan and align our service projects with the six

areas of focus:

o Peace and conflict prevention/ resolution

o Disease prevention and treatment

o Water and sanitation

o Maternal and child health

o Basic education and literacy

o Economic and community development

 

 

To Be A Friend & Benefactor of Rotary Hawthorn:

 

  1. This could be done by a monthly contribution via Direct Debit
  2. Or it could also be achieved by Bequests, Wills and Codicils

 

Did you know you could become a Friend & Benefactor of Rotary Hawthorn by making a Bequest in your Will, or by adding a Codicil to your existing Will?

 

This could be done in different ways:   

  • By allocating a percentage of your net estate

  • By specifying a dollar amount

  • By adding the Rotary Hawthorn Special Friends as an "extra child/beneficiary".

 

If you are updating your Will, your lawyer could advise you on how best to include your Bequest.  If your present Will is up to date, you can add a Codicil to your existing document.

 

Points of interest:

  • Your donation to a proposed Rotary Hawthorn Friends & Benefactors Initiative would provide direct funding to our Rotary Hawthorn projects.

  • The more income that is generated by a Rotary Hawthorn Friends & Benefactors, the more projects we are able to support.

 

If you are interested:  Contact Dorothy Gilmour, Foundation Director 2025-26 or Ian Bentley, President 2025-26