When Collin County Rotary Club was chartered on May 11, 2021, most of the club members were new to Rotary.  Although the club segued from McKinney Sunset Rotary Club, a satellite of the Rotary Club of McKinney Sunrise, the former members knew very little about the connection to Rotary International global projects.  The emphasis for volunteering and donations was on local community service projects during the first year.
 
However, Rotary is also dedicated to causes that build international relationships, improve lives, and create a better world to create peace efforts and end polio forever.  The 2022-23 international services plan includes information about selected non-profit global organizations that address the seven areas of humanitarian service, which are:  Promoting Peace; Fighting Disease; Providing Clean Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene; Saving Mothers and Children; Supporting Education; Growing Local Economies; and Protecting the Environment.  Each non-profit organization has an online link with information about their work and a button for an online voluntary donation with a credit card.    
 
Goal:  Provide awareness of global projects and opportunities to donate to causes that make a difference.  The seven humanitarian objectives will feature a selected non-profit organization each month that is carrying out the mission of Rotary to make the world a better place.  
 
Voluntary Donations: Club members are invited to donate a voluntary amount each month to the non-profit organization that is being highlighted.  Cash donations and checks will be accepted and deposited in the club's bank account. After all donations are received, Lyle and Sandi Froese will match the club donations dollar for dollar and a total amount will be mailed to each non-profit organization.  Members can also donate directly to each non-profit organization with a credit card or a bank draft.  So that we can track how much has been donated by credit card, please e-mail Sandi Froese (swfroese@sbcglobal.net) the amount of your donation.  If you work for a corporation, check to see if your workplace will match your donation,
 
Fighting Disease: During the month of August, End Polio Now was featured with a club donation of $150 and the Froese donation of $100 to the Rotary Foundation in honor of District Governor Howard Templin.  (Collin County Rotary Club also donated $100 to Project Moses, the project selected by First Lady Ellen Templin to support victims of Human Trafficking.) The link to the Rotary Foundation is (rotary.org/donate) and the giver can direct their donation to one or more of the seven humanitarian objectives. Collin County Rotarians can also donate $37.50 per quarter or $150 annually to the Rotary Foundation to begin building credits toward a Paul Harris Fellow.  (A Paul Harris Fellow award is a donation accumulated to $1,000.)
 
Supporting Education:  During the month of September, the Guatemala Literacy Project is a global grant with over 600 clubs and 80 districts participating.  The project will be featured with information about literacy and technology skills for children and teens in Guatemala.  More than 775 million people over the age of 15 are illiterate.  Our club's commitment for 2022-23 is $250 matched with $500 from another Rotary Club and $250 from the Froese family.  Our donations to the Guatemala Literacy Project for 2022 have already been accepted, and a thank you letter has been received.  The link for voluntary donations is (https://guatemalaliteracy.org).
 
Saving Mothers and Children:  Also during the year, our club will collaborate with North Texas Pioneers to collect medical supplies for the Guatemala Midwives Project.  A medical practitioner will provide more information on the needed supplies and the deadline. The link for voluntary donations is (https://midwifeproject.net).
 
Fighting Disease:  During the month of October, World Polio Day on October 24, will feature the work of volunteers to immunize the children of the world from the crippling disease of Polio.  The Rotary Foundation plans to raise an additional $50 million to get the job done.  The funds will be matched by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation 2-to-1! To make a donation, go to (www.endpolio.org/world-polio-day).
 
Disaster Relief:  Also during the month of October, the work of the Rotary Foundation will be featured to provide grants up to $25,000 to Rotary clubs to rebuild communities that suffered from disasters such as hurricane flooding, wildfires, and tornados.  (www.rotary.org/en/our-causes/disaster-response).
 
Providing Clean Water, Sanitation and Hygiene:  During the month of November, Living Water International will be featured with information about clean water projects in Central America.  Living Water International is located in Houston and connects with churches and service clubs who volunteer to install water wells.  A link for Living Water International for voluntary donations is (water.cc).  
 
Growing Local Economies:  During the month of  December, Heifer International will be featured with information about providing livestock, seeds and trees in impoverished communities.  Heifer International is located in Little Rock, AR, and has helped more than 36 million people in 125 countries for over 75 years.  The link for voluntary donations is (Heifer.org/YourImpact).
 
Supporting Education:  During the month of January, Project Hand-up will be featured with information about providing healthy habits, HIV and AIDS education in East Africa to school-age children through puppetry, magic and storytelling.  Darrin Collins, who is a member of the DeSoto Rotary Club has lived in Kenya for several years and oversees the program.  He is often available to be a guest speaker when he visits the U.S. in January.  The link for voluntary donations is (https://projecthandup.org).
 
Providing Clean Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene:  During the month of February, ShelterBoxUSA will be featured with information about disaster relief by providing temporary shelter for displaced families . The wars in Ukraine and Yemen have displaced millions of families who need temporary shelter, clean water, blankets, solar lights, and hygiene kits.  ShelterBox provides a family tent complete with cots and cooking supplies to house up to ten people.  The link for voluntary donations is (www.ShelterBoxUSA.org/donate).
 
Fighting Disease:  During the month of March, Doctors Without Borders, international medical teams, will be featured.  Doctors Without Borders, also known as Medicins Sans Frontieres (MSF), cares for people affected by conflict, disease outbreaks, and natural and human-made disasters.  Doctors Without Borders has received Charity Navigator's highest 4-star rating for accountability and The link for voluntary donations is (doctorswithoutborders.org).
 
Saving Mothers and Children.  During the month of April, Save the Children, an international non-profit organization provides food, clothing, medical supplies and access to educational resources for children and families.  The organization is active 120 countries and especially in war zones of Ukraine and Afghanistan.  The link for voluntary donations is (https://www.savethechildren.org).
 
Protecting the Environment:  During the month of May, a guest speaker will be invited to provide an update on Climate Change and awareness of actions we can take to protect the environment. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is a government program that provides timely and authoritative information about climate.  The link for information is (http://www.noaa.gov).
 
Promoting Peace: During the month of June, if available, a Peace Fellow will be invited to share information about his or her international assignment. Each year, Rotary International awards 130 fully funded fellowships for dedicated leaders from around the world to study at one of our peace centers. Applications are available online for Peace Fellowships for graduate students. The Peace Fellowship is designed for professionals with work experience in international relations or peace and conflict prevention and resolution.  Applicants must have a minimum of 3 years work experience before applying for the Master's degree program. The link for information is (https://rotary.org/en/our-programs/peace-fellowships). 
 
For more information about Rotary International Service projects supported by Collin County Rotary Club, contact Sand Froese, International Service Committee Chair, at (swfroese@sbcglobal.net).