Club 24 launched a project to help settle Afghan refugees in Utah. The first stage was fundraising to help with immediate needs.
We issued a ‘challenge match’ to other Utah Rotary clubs to match our Club’s initial contribution of $25,000; and then issued another ‘challenge match’ to the Community Foundation of Utah to match the expected $50,000 from Rotary. The Rotary family in Utah really came through! Utah Rotary raised just over $78,000. THANK YOU to all of our members as each of us contributed to this project! The Community Foundation raised their match ($50,000) and we have also received notice of the first contribution from the Walmart Foundation (through a local Walmart store) of $500. All told this project raised over $128,000!We have been asked by some Rotarians how they can continue to help. The second stage of this project is to help meet the long-term needs of these new residents to find work.
A majority of the refugees settled in Salt Lake County and a few families in Utah County and the Ogden area.
