ROTARY CLUB OF KENT FOUNDATION

Our Foundation:  The Rotary Club of Kent Foundation (the "Foundation") uses donations to improve the lives of people in the City of Kent, the surrounding area and worldwide. The priorities of the Foundation are established by the members of the Foundation Board of Directors.  The Foundation is a 501(c)3 tax-exempt organization (Tax ID# 91-1522960).  Donations to the Foundation may be deductible for tax purposes. 

Donations will only be used for charitable purposes, including: relief of the poor, distressed and underprivileged; advancement of education; erecting or maintaining public buildings, monuments or works; and promoting peace.

As you choose to donate to our Foundation, you may direct the money to your area of interest or to the General Fund.

The Endowment Fund ensures the longevity of our Foundation.  The Rotary Club of Kent was founded in 1958.  We celebrated our 66^th year in 2024 and plan to continue the Foundation indefinitely.  To ensure that that can happen, we have set funds aside to create an endowment.  An Endowment Process Guide, adopted by the Foundation Board of Directors provides: “The annual distribution amount from the Endowment is not intended to exceed 4% of the Endowment balance so that the Endowment corpus is maintained.” The Foundation Board of Directors can choose to place the annual distribution amount into action for our community, as it sees fit.

The International Service Fund allows our Foundation funds to be combined with other clubs around the world toward international programs/services that mirror our areas of interest.

The Community Service Fund provides financial support to projects in our local community, including our Backpack Buddies Program (providing weekend food for elementary school students at targeted schools in the Kent School District), the Annual Fishing Experience for children under 14, and local projects like the YMCA and the Rotary Sphere at Kent’s Town Square.

The Scholarship Fund is used for post-secondary education scholarships and other youth-oriented programs.  Our Foundation has given more than a million dollars to students, over the years.  The William Sroufe Scholarship Fund is in memory of former Kent Rotarian William Sroufe.

The General Fund backfills any shortfall in all of the areas of service.

PROJECTS  FUNDED BY THE FOUNDATION IN 2023-2024:

Youth Services:
Scholarships: $33,000
RYLA (Rotary Youth Leadership Award) $ 1,649

Community Service Projects:
Backpack Buddies: $30,186
Fishing Experience: $ 2,500
Harvest Against Hunger: $ 1,000

Other:
First Tee Sponsorship $ 500
Mill Creek Middle School Read a thon $ 500
Communities in Schools of Kent $ 500
Kentlake DECA Club $ 1,000
Horizon Elementary School Garden $ 900
BSA /Secure Storage $ 1,000
Kent International Kite Festival $ 1,000
Music for Life $ 1,500
King of Kings Food Bank $ 497
We Love Kent / Storage $ 1,000

International Service Projects:
Partner with Covington Rotary – English for all Brazil $ 1,000
Partner with University Rotary – Bukobero Project $ 2,000
Project with University Rotary – Ethiopia Clean Water Project $ 2,000
Partner with Bellevue Rotary Prosthetic Restoration Project $ 1,000
Partner with Lahaina Rotary – Water purification Project $ 2,746

CLICK HERE for further information on how to donate to our foundation.