The power of philanthropy is immense. You have the opportunity to totally change the world and sincerely make life better for others. When philanthropy is done correctly, it can provide help that is desperately needed and lead to the chance for growth and healing for people who need aid. One of the charities that has made the biggest difference is the Rotary Foundation. This philanthropy (along with its partners) has provided considerable aid around the world and receives a score of 97.87 on Charity Navigator. I’m going to go into more detail on how the Rotary Foundation has made a significant difference and improved people’s lives around the globe.
What is the Rotary Foundation?
The Rotary Foundation is the foundation of Rotary International, so the two organizations go hand-in-hand. Rotary International is primarily a service organization with clubs around the world. Its main goal is to bring top leaders around the world together in order to provide humanitarian services to those in need and promote general goodwill and peace, whether it’s for those who are struggling or in business practices. The organization is not directly affiliated with any political party or religion and invites anyone, regardless of their background, to join.
The Foundation was created to make Rotary International’s goals a reality. The organization solely receives funds from members of Rotary International or others who see fit to donate to the Foundation. This year marks the anniversary of 100 years since the Foundation was first begun in 1917.
What have they done?
The Rotary Foundation has various programs that it works on in order to help out people around the world. While their causes are numerous and they often help with other projects, the Foundation’s three main focuses are: polio eradication, humanitarian grants, and facilitating educational programs, often through grants and scholarships. These three causes are incredibly noteworthy and the Foundation has raised and used billions of dollars toward these projects. The Foundation has made exceptional progress in eradicating polio, vaccinating over 2.5 billion children around the world.
Within the last week, the Rotary Foundation has made significant contributions toward helping the victims of Hurricane Harvey. So far, United States Rotary chapters have raised thousands of dollars for hurricane aid in Texas and the number continues to rise. Rotary clubs around the world banded together to raise money to send to Texas, which shows the far-reaching influence Rotary International holds.
Who do they work with?
While the Rotary Foundation does plenty of incredible work on their own, they also partner with a few other organizations to help further their specific goals. Two of these other charities are the World Health Organization and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, both of which focus on improving healthcare around the world.