Rotary is a worldwide service organization of more than 1.2 million business, professional and community leaders. Rotarians provide humanitarian service and raise funds for projects within local communities and around the world.
There are approximately 34,000 Rotary clubs in more than 200 countries. Clubs are non-political, non-religious and open to all cultures, races and creeds.
As signified by the motto "Service Above Self", Rotary's main objective is service – in the community, in the workplace and throughout the world.
Rotary Areas of Focus
Through The Rotary Foundation, club members contribute to projects that advance world understanding, goodwill, and peace by improving health, providing quality education, improving the environment and alleviating poverty. Since founded more than 100 years ago the Foundation has raised over $4B for life changing, sustainable projects in 7 focus areas.
- Promoting peace
- Fighting Disease
- Providing clean water and sanitation
- Saving mothers and children
- Supporting education
- Growing local economies
- Protecting the environment (new as of 2021)
For 11 years running The Rotary Foundation has received the highest rating from Charity Navigator, an independent evaluator of charities in the U.S. 92% of donation go to award programs.
"Service Above Self!"
Eradicating Polio
In 1996, Rotary, its Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) partners, and Nelson Mandela launched the Kick Polio Out of Africa campaign.
This August, the WHO announced that transmission of the wild polio virus stopped in all 47 target countries in Africa. In stark contrast, in 1996 75,000 children were paralyzed by the disease. Nine billion doses of vaccine have been administered to date, preventing 1.8 million cases of paralysis.
Each year, about 2 million volunteers help vaccinate 220 million additional children. Partnering with the WHO, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, UNICEF, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and Gavi, the vaccine alliance, Rotary members contributed nearly $890 million towards the cause.
Going forward Rotary is working tirelessly with the GPEI to fully eradicate polio globally. This remains Rotary's top priority.
