Club 24 launched a project late last year 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. One of our members has already hired their first Afghan employee!