VT & NH Rotary Clubs give $25,000 to food banks

Capitalizing on grant monies made available from Rotary International, Rotary District 7870 distributed $25,000 to New Hampshire and Vermont food banks in May.

District 7870 consists of 60 Rotary Clubs in southern Vermont and southern New Hampshire, including those in Chester, Ludlow and Londonderry (Wantastiquet).

The money – based on per capita calculations – amounted to approximately $8,000 for the Vermont Foodbank and $17,000 for the New Hampshire Food Bank, a program of Catholic Charities NH.

“This pandemic is creating a food assistance emergency unlike anything we’ve ever seen since we opened our doors more than 30 years ago,” says John Sayles, Vermont Foodbank CEO. “We’ve seen huge increases in the number of people in need of food assistance, and it is clear that the Foodbank and our statewide network of food shelves and meal sites will not be able to meet that need on our own. We are grateful to Rotary District 7870 in Vermont and all of its members for stepping up to help.”

Rotary International has already supported Covid-19 efforts across the world by donating more than $7 million. Rotary is also involved in mobilizing 1 million volunteers through the Volunteer Surge Initiative, with the aim to support healthcare professionals during the coronavirus pandemic.