Posted by Victor T. Tom on Jun 01, 2019
District 7910 Rotary clubs were active this year utilizing The Rotary Foundation's funds that came back to our District in the form of District Grants.  During Rotary 2018-'119, 21 District Grants were funded and executed by the clubs, to better our communities.  The service projects broadly fell into four of the Rotary Foundation's six areas of focus. Clubs made an impact in Disease Prevention, Treatment and Health, Maternal and Child Health, Basic Education and Literacy, and Economic and Community Development.
 
In addition, we implemented two Global Grants - one was our District Service Project that built  stoves in Guatemala in order to reduce respiratory illness in the community. Ten Rotarians traveled there to work with Rotarians from the host club.  The other Global Grant that was approved this year involved the Rotary Club of Concord's egg-farm project in Haiti.
 
Here are details of the District Grant projects:
 
Disease Prevention and Treatment, Health:
  • RC Bedford (with Operation Delta Dog) supported rescue and development of  seven Delta Dogs, to help veterans suffering from PTSD/traumatic brain injury.
  • RCs Montachusett Area, Leominster, and Clinton provided personal-hygiene and essentials-care packages to homeless and vulnerable populations.
  • RC Groton-Pepperell inaugurated Rotary Relay for Reclamation, an annual relay-style road race and gathering for educating the community about opioid abuse.
  • RC Wachusett Area (with District 7910 Addiction Task Force) prepared an educational program and conducted sessions on addiction and addiction prevention.
  • RC Natick (with Natick Opioid Task Force) raised awareness and educated on the prevention of opioid use.
  • RC Dracut purchased, distributed and educated the use of Emergency Location devices for persons with dementia, Alzheimer’s, autism, etc.
  • RC Westford (with The Outreach Program) packaged 10,000 meals and distributed to area food banks.
 
Maternal and Child Health:
  • RC Concord built beds for children in Concord and surrounding communities.
  • RC Northborough packed meals in weekend backpacks for children in need.
  • RC Athol-Orange Area (with Backpacks for Breakfast) provided food on weekends for children with food insecurities.
 
Basic Education and Literacy:
  • RC Newton (with Newton Free Library) conducted a summer reading program, with Rotarians and senior citizens reading to Newton youth.
  • RC Westborough built and installed Little Free Libraries, to bring literacy to underserved populations.
  • RC Brookline implemented a literacy program for Brookline Housing Authority residents in career development, parenting and self-sufficiency.
  • RC Fitchburg distributed dictionaries to third-grade students, promoting literacy and grammar learning.
 
Economic and Community Development:
  • RC Marlborough is building portion of the 33-mile Boroughs Loop Trail for walking/hiking and promoting outdoor activity.
  • RC Sturbridge (with RC Southbridge and Rotary Community Corps) greatly enlarged the Community Food Collaborative project that grows organic produce entirely for the St. John Paul II Food Pantry.
  • RC Milford beautified the town with downtown flowerbed and a Rotary welcome sign.
  • RC Nashoba Valley (with Robert F. Kennedy Children’s Action Corps) built an outdoor gazebo space for family visits.
  • RC Lowell (with Cambodian Mutual Assistance Association) implemented a community gardening project, to encourage healthier lifestyles.
  • RC Acton-Boxborough (with Mount Calvary Community Supper) provided dinners four times and provided community-supper volunteers.
  • RC Needham (with RC Jubilee Hills, District 3150, India) purchased and installed a rooftop solar system for a government high school.
 
To learn more on Rotary Foundation Global Grants, contact District Grants Subcommittee Chair Victor Tom at vtom0@yahoo.com.