Supporting Local Non-Profits

In March, the Keene Elm City Rotary Club (KECR) welcomed beneficiaries of the club’s allocation fund. Representatives of 12 youth services organizations shared their missions as well as how the funds allocated helped them better serve children in the Monadnock region.

 

The organization’s included:

 

 

In keeping with one of the core missions of Rotary International and KECR, several of the beneficiaries, such as RSVP – American Reads, Cheshire County Retired Teachers Association and Troy Elementary School, used support from the KECR to purchase books and provide volunteers for local schools to aid childhood literacy. Surry Village Charter School was able to bring in a bibliotherapy counselor, who uses books to help children cope with challenges and develop emotional intelligence.

 

The funds provided also helped Catholic Charities purchase snow pants and boots for children in the region and are supporting Feeding Tiny Tummies’ efforts to provide food bags for weekends and school vacation for all Head Starts in Cheshire County as well as elementary school children in Marlow and Winchester, NH.

 

“All of us are working to help kids thrive,” said Liz Chipman of the Keene Housing Kids Collaborative, an organization focused on removing financial barriers so local kids can participate in existing community activities. “Last year we reached 246 kids, who were able to participate in over 600 activities in the community, and your support helped us to do that.”

 

“It takes a village for us to implement all of the unique experiences that we are able to offer kids in our community,” said Tara Pratt, educational director of Stonewall Farms, which offers school field trips, children’s workshops and summer camp programs. “It also takes a village to make sure that every child in our community has equal access to all of these opportunities, and the Keene Elm City Rotary Club has become a vital part of our village.”