With over 1.4 million members and 535 districts worldwide, Rotary International was the first service club in the world. Today’s speaker, Kevin Kelly, is the Regional Major Gifts Officer for Rotary International’s Rotary Foundation. He is responsible for major gift cultivation and stewardship in Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Pennsylvania, New York, and Southern Ontario.
The Foundation's primary goal in recent years is the eradication of polio in the world. By raising $50 million each year, the Foundation has received a matching grant of $100,000 million from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Pakistan and Afghanistan are the last two countries that still are fighting polio. It appears that they may be polio-free in the next couple of years!
A second priority for the Foundation is its disaster response fund. Funds have most recently been used to help the Ukrainians.
Most of the Foundation's funding comes from individuals. You can contact Kevin directly (Kevin.Kelly@Rotary.org) or Ernie Schaefer if you want to be part.