Global Projects
Rise Against Hunger
A global initiative targeting communities with high food insecurity through meal packages and school feeding programs. The organization partners with local leaders to promote sustainable agriculture and income projects, aiming to empower communities toward long-term food security.
Rotarians of the Rotary Club of Mount Airy in coordination with Rise Against Hunger composed and packed over 10,000 meals to be distributed in a country where food insecurity exists due to a natural disaster or political instability. Rise Against Hunger is an international hunger relief organization that distributes food and life changing aid to the world’s most vulnerable mobilizing the necessary resources to end hunger by 2030. This event has a hands-on Impact on world hunger. Rise Against Hunger’s meal packaging program is a volunteer-based initiative that coordinates the assembly-line packaging of highly nutritious dehydrated meals comprised of rice, soy, vegetables, and 23 essential vitamins and minerals.
The diners meet once each quarter, and begin with an ice breaker activity before segueing to a speaker and a business-related topic, such as long and short-term goal setting, identifying skills, the good/bad/ugly of social media. The audience was intrigued when guest speaker Dustin Saxton shared his varied career path to becoming ElMo principal and earning his doctorate. He worked at a grocery and several fast food places, and even drove a beer truck before teaching math.
Shelter Box
Provides emergency shelter, tools, and supplies to families rebuilding after disasters, while raising awareness about global displacement. Guided by values that prioritize people in need, volunteers, and staff.
Rotary has been instrumental in our growth and is the cement that binds us together. Since ShelterBox was founded, we have grown from one club’s adopted project to Rotary International’s only Project Partner in disaster relief. Their global network has been key in our international growth.
Disaster Relief Fund
Through grants, the Rotary Foundation supports communities recovering from natural disasters. Funds are used to provide essentials such as water, food, and medicine, ensuring specific community needs are met in coordination with local authorities.
Rotary members and The Rotary Foundation play a unique role in disaster recovery and rebuilding efforts. Working closely with our partner ShelterBox and other organizations that specialize in disaster relief, Rotary members lead projects to support every phase of a community’s recovery.
Rotary supports three phases of relief:
- Immediate response: Our local clubs and partners immediately offer helping hands and supplies.
- Short-term assistance: Our clubs and districts help affected communities wherever we can through funds and materials to re-establish day-to-day operations.
- Long-term rebuilding: Our clubs plan and implement projects that rebuild affected communities.
Polio Plus
Beyond polio eradication, PolioPlus offers added benefits like hand-operated tricycles, clean water access, and additional medical treatments. The program also reduces infectious disease susceptibility, with vitamin A drops preventing millions of child deaths.
Rotarians’ contributions to PolioPlus help fund planning by technical experts, large-scale communication efforts to make people aware of the benefits of vaccinations, and support for volunteers who go door to door.
