In 1917, RI President Arch C. Klumph proposed that an endowment be set up for the purpose of doing good in the world. This endowment became known as the Rotary Foundation.
The mission of The Rotary Foundation 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.
The Foundation is a not-for-profit corporation supported solely by voluntary contributions from Rotarians and friends of the Foundation who share its vision of a better world.
The aims of the committee are to:
- Support the humanitarian programmes of Rotary International, in
particular programmes with an emphasis on water, sanitation, health
concerns, poverty reduction strategies and literacy promotion.
- Respond to disaster relief efforts and rebuilding processes following natural disasters.
- Support and contribute to the International Development Programmes
of the United Nations in the programmes associated with the Millennium
Development Goals of the UN.
The main activities for the coming year will be:
- Shelter boxes which can be provided to homeless people who have been made homeless by environmental disasters or other causes.
- Aquaboxes which are mobile water purification kits for provision to people in areas of drought or environmental disaster.
- Sale of golf balls with the proceeds
going to the global Rotary Polio eradication project to which the Bill
and Melinda Gates Foundation has already donated $200,000,000.
- Working with local schools help raise funds to support the Mary's Meals charity
- Support the Nepal Little Doctors charity by having a sponsored cycle ride