Evanston Lighthouse Rotary Club 2014 Community Service  grantees line up from left to right: Kathleen Watson Nadler and Sue Murphy, Interfaith Action of Evanston; Andrea Densham, Childcare Network of Evanston; Lori Dube, Curt’s Café; Jeanie Ramsey, Services for Adults Staying in Their Homes; Mary Fulton, Hillside Food Pantry; Elaine Clemens, Justin Wynn Fund; Sabrina Clark and Cari O’Donnell, Evanston School Children’s Clothing Association; Patti Anderson, Curt’s Café; Julianne Dieterich, Evanston Lighthouse Rotary Club; Andrea Horton, Youth Organizations Umbrella.                                                                                         Submitted photo

The Evanston Lighthouse Rotary Club recently distributed $17,400 in grants to 10 local organizations.  The ELRC’s Community Service Committee sought to support local organizations and programs that help improve the quality of life for those Evanston residents most in need. Proposals in the areas of education, hunger, homelessness, employment, and health received priority consideration. 

The grant recipients are Childcare Network of Evanston, Connections for the Homeless, Curt’s Café, Dental Access Days, Evanston School Children’s Clothing Association (ESCCA), Hillside Food Pantry, Interfaith Action of Evanston, Justin Wynn Fund, Services for Adults Staying in their Homes and Youth Organization Umbrella. 

Funds for the grants, which ranged from $800 to $3000, were raised by club members through sales of poinsettias and other florals, hams, citrus, and nuts at holiday time as well as donations from members and other supporters. 

Rotarians Make a Global Impact

In addition to the $17,400 in grants to 10  local non-profits, the club’s International Committee recently announced nearly $20,000 in grants to support philanthropic projects around the globe. Among them were funding for cleft palate operations in Guatemala, microloan projects that enable tribal groups in India to acquire pigs and sewing machines, Shelter Boxes for hurricane victims in the Philippines and a grant to help build a school in Uganda.