At the recent RI convention in Los Angeles, I asked a Rotarian from California about his club projects. “Which one affected you most?” He said the day he brought his wife and son to a remote African village on a National Immunization Day (NID). “I gave the vaccine drops to a few villagers, and then I wanted my son to do it. He dispensed drops to an African baby cradled in its mother’s arms. When we finally returned home, he said one night, ‘Dad, that was a really important thing I did. Everyone should do it.’ He was only eight. And it was only one moment with one child. But he understood in that moment why giving felt so good and mattered so much. He changed after that; he’s a teenager now, and he keeps looking for more ways to give.” 

Every day, Rotarians experience similar epiphanies. And we know how transformative – for recipient and giver – they can be. Yet, sometimes we overlook the fact that we don’t have to leave our homes to experience these life-affirming moments.

November is Rotary Foundation Month, and I hope that, after reading the pages dedicated to the Foundation in this month’s In Focus section, you’ll consider donating to the Rotary Foundation. Giving money may not seem as dramatic as service in the field, but it can have the same effect. Even a modest gift to the Foundation can affect more people over time. For example, on one NID you may personally immunize dozens of children against the poliovirus. On the other hand, your US$500 donation to the Foundation provides enough vaccine to immunize 1,000 children. Both gifts ennoble the giver and improve the lives of those who receive them.  

But the fact is that, today, for billions of people worldwide, the price of a decent existence amid increasing poverty, violence, and inflation is growing exponentially more costly. Therefore, the most powerful weapon possessed by a person of goodwill seeking to help is money – it’s that simple. Every contribution to The Rotary Foundation is spent to support humanitarian, educational, and cultural programs. In one Rotary year, about $4.5 million from RI’s Permanent Fund supports Rotary Foundation projects. Rotary Foundation Disaster Recovery Grants to victims of catastrophes totaled over $6.4 million last year alone. And since 1985, more than 24,000 Matching Grant projects in 167 countries were funded at $257 million. A donation to The Rotary Foundation can be a powerful moment as uplifting as the experience of that American youngster helping a fellow child in the African bush.