The details
The club hopes to make a deep impact through its donations, said Todd Weaver, a former club president and its longest standing member. Rather than spreading smaller donations across a plethora of organizations, it is more selective to ensure the donations are larger and more impactful toward its goals, Weaver added. All the grant requests go before the club's committee, which ranks each one before a decision is made.
"If you're reading a grant application and it moves you mentally, and if it touches your heart, you don't have to further explain it," Weaver said.
Here is a list of organizations and donations each received:
- Big Brothers Big Sisters Denton County, which creates and supports one-to-one mentoring relationships that support youth, will use a $2,500 grant to help find, screen and train mentors.
- Children's Advocacy Center, a place that helps children and families, plans to use a $2,000 grant to create a supply room of household, school and personal items for clients entering the program.
- Christian Community Action, which has been feeding and educating families in need since 1973, plans to use a $1,000 donation to fund its Kids Eat Free summer program.
- Cross Timbers YMCA will use a $2,500 grant to subsidize programs for children unable to afford them. In addition, the funds raised allow them to offer free programs such as the Safety Around Water drowning prevention program.
- Friends of the Family, which offers services to those impacted by rape, sexual abuse and domestic violence, plans to use a $1,000 grant to upgrade its facilities at Camp Hope America, a summer camp for youth and teens exposed to domestic violence.
- Friends of the Flower Mound Library was awarded $500, and plans to use the funds to add to the library collection and pay for special programs.
- Journey to Dream provides safe, caring and supportive environments for teens, and will use a $1,500 donation to purchase laptops for kids, which will be used for distance counseling and homework.
- Lovepacs Lewisville, which provides meals to students who would otherwise go hungry during school holidays, will use a $5,000 grant to help pay for boxes, tape and bags they send home with the kids.
- Pediplace, which offers health care services to kids, will use a $2,500 donation to support health care services for children. In 2024, they expect to serve an estimated 6,022 patients
- She Supply will use its $1,500 grant to provide feminine hygiene products to those in need.
- Special Abilities of North Texas, which aids adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities through individualized skills and socialization support, plans to use a $5,000 donation to upgrade the facility’s signage and accessibility.
The Rotary club strives to made a difference in local communities by practicing "service above self," where each member helps raise money and volunteers time to help the community, Weaver said.
"We may not solve the problems, but we're damn sure going to make them better," he said.
