Thanks to the generosity of our fellow Rotarians three years ago, we are able to award 61 District Grants for the 2019-2020 Rotary year. District Grants fund local, community service programs designed by local Rotarians. Every Club has an opportunity to apply for the grant money they need (up to $2000) for the project of their choice. Projects must be completed within one year.

In addition to smaller District Grants awards, Clubs are offered opportunities to submit “Challenge Grant” proposals.“Challenge Grant” projects are still community-based and must be completed within this Rotary year; but they are larger in vision, scope and budget. Challenge Grants fund budgets from $2,000 to $10,000.This year, $59,223 was shared among seven Clubs who discovered large needs and addressed them in their neighborhoods.This was the largest number of Clubs achieving Challenge Grant awards in District history.

For Challenge Grant Rotary Club winners, the focus was clearly children and their families - improving the future through education and good health.

• Marietta Rotarians are targeting babies born in WellStar Hospital, and their parents, to begin literacy education at birth with instruction materials on “Talk to me Baby” given before being discharged. They also provide coaching and enrichment follow-up for participants until the children enter school.
• Albany’s challenge was adding five more schools to their “Helping Hands Ending Hunger” program. Helping Hands allows kids to aid schoolmates who need nutritious food when not in school by collecting uneaten, packaged items from the school cafeterias and redistributing them.
• Brookhaven Rotarians are rehabilitating and refurbishing a residential facility for child victims of human trafficking.
• The Vinings Cumberland Rotary Club provides books, school supplies and furniture for mothers and their children who are temporarily living in resettlement facilities. Their program encourages parent/child joint learning opportunities with Rotarian mentors.
• Roswell Rotarians are completing a Computer Lab facility for children and their working parents who are living in temporary, transitional housing. The new lab will not only provide techno-support for homework and school assignments, but also allow adults to gain training and build employable job skills.
• North Columbus Rotarians gave new, basic clothing and shoes to students with parents who cannot afford to buy them.
• Carrollton Rotarians gave technology equipment and training to local special needs citizens and their teachers.

When all these challenge and District projects are complete, Rotarians in District 6900 will invest $171,738 and hundreds of hours of “sweat equity” in the future of our children and families across Georgia. To celebrate your generosity, we are also donating $10,318 of DDF to the world’s children and Rotary International’s signature project “End Polio Now."