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SERVICES

Third Grade Dictionary Project

We have always appreciated that youth are important, and literacy is essential to thrive in your life. Since 2007 we have purchased and delivered nearly 8,000 reference dictionaries to every third grade student in the Roosevelt School District. These student dictionaries include much more than a dictionary, but have sections on geography, mathematics, and science and are an aid to the teacher and students in the classroom.This is our major commitment to youth education and development in the  community.

Save the Family

Founded in 1988, Save the Family has become a premier leader in the non-profit human services community – mainly focusing on vulnerable, impoverished, and homeless families. Save the Family remains the oldest provider of housing and supportive services for East Valley homeless families and in recent years has expanded to serve families throughout Maricopa County.
Throughout our 30 years of service, we’ve been steadfast in helping families overcome barriers to self-sufficiency, thus permanently ending their homelessness and improving their lives. Each year, Save the Family helps homeless families achieve brighter futures through our three pillar approach: housing, case coordination and support services for adults and children. In addition, we are the service provider to hundreds of low-income families residing within affordable housing units provided by our affiliate – ARM of Save the Family.
At the Save the Family, our focused efforts are derived from three core values: stable homes, safe children, and strong families. By providing stable housing, homeless families are able to rebuild their “foundation,” where a safe and encouraging environment is created, so both, parents and children can flourish. Together with the utilization of evidence-based interventions that equip families with the skills needed to achieve financial and housing stability, Save the Family is building stronger families, granting them opportunities to rewrite their future.
Save the Family will be the signature beneficiary from the proceeds of the Kyrene Golf tournament for at least the next 2 years (2019 - 2020).
Our club will be supporting several "hands on" projects throughout the year.
To learn more about Save the Family Click Here
 

Tempe Community Action Agency

Since 1966 Tempe Community Action Agency (TCAA) has dedicated its resources to strengthening families and neighborhoods through initiatives that address the causes and effects of poverty. Our mission is to foster dignity and self-reliance in the economically vulnerable within the communities we serve. This  mission is accomplished through the delivery of programs that seek to intervene in homelessness and stabilize housing, promote health upbringings for infants and toddlers, address food insecurity, promote aging in place, and further an individual or family's economic status. On an annual basis TCAA programs benefit more than 22,000 seniors, adults, and children who live within or near the City of Tempe. This volume is possible through the efforts of TCAA's outstanding staff and the generosity of our long-time supporters and volunteers. 

Our work is far from finished. We invite you to join the TCAA team in strengthening people, families, neighborhoods and community. Learn how to get involved or explore our programs:

Treasures 4 Teachers

Treasures 4 Teachers is a member based resource and supply store serving the educators of Arizona. This means that anyone who works closely with students can have access to a wide selection of materials, resources and training that will enhance and expand the learning process. T4T is a donation-based operation. Therefore, we are able to provide low cost and free school supplies to our members in Tempe, Arizona.
Barbara Blalock is the founder and CEO.  Here is her story of how T4T began
In 2004, Barbara was visiting a 2nd grade classroom. The teacher asked her students to get out a piece of paper and pencil. Barbara watched as a little 7 year old student named Sandy walked up to the teacher and gave her a shoe. The teacher quickly gave Sandy a pencil. After class, Barbara asked the teacher why Sandy had to give her a shoe for the pencil, the teacher said because she didn’t have enough pencils, and this way she knew she would get her pencil back because Sandy wouldn’t leave without her shoe. That day, Barbara knew she needed to do something so that students didn’t have to give up their shoe for a pencil. Barbara started Treasures 4 Teachers a “Creative Reuse Center” specifically catered to teachers to get the supplies they need for free and low cost so their students can be successful. Today it is thriving in a 12,000 square foot facility in Tempe, Arizona.
Our club, along with Tempe Downtown, and Rotaract spend 2 hours every 3rd Saturday of the month to assist with a variety of projects that change each month.
We also provide financial support to this most worthwhile organization
To find out more about T4T Click here.
 

Supporting the United Food Bank

Harry Short has long attended Seattle Rotary clubs and service projects when there.  His favorite Seattle service project is food packing with about 100 Rotarians and friends.  Many Rotary clubs, Rotarians, family and friends, attend this well-established monthly project.  
 
Harry thought a similar multi-club and family-friendly event could and should be established in AZ.   Starting in 2015 he visited some East Valley (EV) food banks and pantries and learned about the charitable food distribution system in AZ.  He visited some clubs in AZ and, with a couple of young Rotarians and the CEO of United Food Bank (UFB) developed project goals and methods.  Then he visited some clubs in the SE Valley, identified club “project champions”, made some club program presentations, and, in December 2015, began the multiclub quarterly food packing events at the United Food Bank of Arizona.  Here’s a brief about the foregoing plus some other information
 
Goals & methods:
Primary Goal:  Facilitate a regular large Rotary community service project involving multiple clubs, Rotarians, family members, friends, and prospective members that participants find easy to do, fun and satisfying.
 
Provide a ready made service project for Rotary clubs. 
A real need that is not being fully met – food security!
A year-in-advance schedule of quarterly events for club calendar planning.
East Valley location that’s easy to get to and safe, with pleasant environment.
Turnkey project – fixed location, club estimated turnout, and just come on time.
No surprises – firm 7:30-noon, water & snacks provided, family-friendly.
Inspect, sort and pack food at the United Food Bank (UFB).
Do something else if greater needed (box making, pack backpacks, family boxes).
Provide signage for publicity pictures (and directions to entrance and parking).
 
Partner with UFB 
UFB is 1 of 4 food banks in AZ that distribute to myriad pantries and programs.
UFB is in East Valley (Mesa) and has a volunteer packing location (Javelina). 
UFB territory is East Valley and parts of Eastern AZ.
UFB has relationships with large box stores as well as large food drives.
UFB has relationships with schools, meal programs, and first responders.
UFB needs volunteers for inspecting, sorting and packing donated food.
UFB receives other project and monetary support from Rotary clubs.
 
Market the project to Rotary clubs in the East Valley (EV).
Research each of the EV clubs – website, key people, size, projects.
Visit select EV clubs to meet members and stimulate interest.
Recruit a club champion of the food packing project.
Prepare a “program” and present it at willing clubs.
Aim for UFB volunteer capacity: approximately 30 and 5-6 clubs at each event.
Fund the signs and snacks so there is no club or participant cost.
 
Numerous individuals from Kyrene Rotary Club and other East Valley Rotary clubs have helped in most every way, by sharing project leadership, by promoting within their clubs, by getting the packing events on their club calendars, by recruiting participants for each quarterly event, and miscellaneous other tasks.  The clubs that have been the backbone for participants are KRC, CXR, ASU, Tempe Downtown and Tempe South, and Chandler Horizon.  Another 4-5 clubs have also participated.  
To learn more about the United Food Bank click here
 

Habitat for Humanity 

The idea that became Habitat for Humanity first grew from the fertile soil of Koinonia Farm, a community farm outside of Americus, Georgia, founded by farmer and biblical scholar Clarence Jordan.

On the farm, Jordan and Habitat’s eventual founders Millard and Linda Fuller developed the concept of “partnership housing.” The concept centered on those in need of adequate shelter working side by side with volunteers to build decent, affordable houses. The houses would be built at no profit. New homeowners’ house payments would be combined with no-interest loans provided by supporters and money earned by fundraising to create “The Fund for Humanity,” which would then be used to build more homes.

Beau and Emma were the owners of the first home built by Koinonia’s Partnership Housing Program. They and their five children moved into a concrete-block home with a modern kitchen, indoor bathroom and heating system, replacing the unpainted, uninsulated shack with no plumbing where they had previously lived.

In 1973, the Fullers decided to take the Fund for Humanity concept to Zaire, now the Democratic Republic of Congo. After three years of hard work to launch a successful house building program there, the Fullers then returned to the United States and called together a group of supporters to discuss the future of their dream: Habitat for Humanity International, founded in 1976.

The times have changed, the build site locations have grown in number, but the very real change that Beau and Emma’s family experienced is shared by families today who partner with Habitat to build or improve a place they can call home. Thanks in no small part to the personal involvement of U.S. President Jimmy Carter and his wife Rosalynn and the awareness they have raised, Habitat now works in nearly 1,400 communities across the U.S. and in approximately 70 countries and has helped more than 13 million people achieve strength, stability and independence through safe, decent and affordable shelter.

Jan 21 2012 -  Rotarians & friends turned out to help build a Habitat For Humanity house.  Thirteen Rotarians and other volunteers put on 2 coats of paint inside and out, and installed doors and kitchen cabinets this past Saturday in Mesa.  Kyrene Corridor Rotary club volunteers were joined by a large group of volunteers from the Tempe East Club.  This house will be purchased by a single mom who has one or two children.  She has worked on this and other houses for 400 hours!, completed courses in financial management and home maintenance, and will become responsible for mortgages equal to the appraised value of the house.  Homeowners are selected to be H4H home buyers based on being first time house buyers, steady (but low wage) employment, lack of debt, and poor current housing conditions.  The term of the zero interest mortgage is structured according to the home-buyer's ability to make monthly payments.  And several years of regular on-time payments will earn a reduction in the total amount due.  All construction and construction leadership except the concrete, plumbing, electrical and air conditioning is performed by volunteers.  House sponsors typically raise $85,000 of money and in-kind donations to pay for all above-ground materials.  The plumbing, electrical and air conditioning for this house were in-kind donations by licensed contractors.  Some of the Kyrene Corridor Rotarians contributed AZ Tax Credit ("Aid to the working poor") money to help fund this house.  Local Habitat organization volunteer opportunities include family selection, family mentoring, construction leadership and construction.  This is the 5th house that Kyrene Corridor Rotarians have helped build, and the club has continued to help build one or two homes every year since 2012. See the International Organization here. The local Habitat for Humanity - Central Arizona can be reached here. Please check it out and/or donate.
 

Boys and Girls Club of Guadalupe

Boys & Girls Clubs of the East Valley has been around since 1963, back when it began as one Club site – the Tempe Boys Club. A group of dedicated Tempe citizens started the Club in those early years and paid to keep it open and available to the children because they recognized a need for a place for boys to go to escape the boredom and dangers of the streets.

In 1980, the Tempe Girls Club merged with the Tempe Boys Club, staying at the same Boys Club location at Jaycee Park. In 1984 the Club changed its name to the Boys & Girls Club of the East Valley. This new site was the first Club organization in the state to become a Boys & Girls Club, providing valuable after-school programs to both girls and boys. Today, this site continues to be the location for the Ladmo Branch, Tempe of the Boys & Girls Clubs of the East Valley – an organization that now serves over 35,000 children and teens annually at eleven branches.

For nearly 50 years, we have made it our number one priority to fill the opportunity gap and provide kids who come to us with a chance to build their talents, learn the value of contributing to others, and realize their dreams. Boys & Girls Clubs of the East Valley is looking forward to many more years of providing hope and opportunity to young people.

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July 26, 2014 - Guadalupe Boys & Girls Club children went back-to-school shopping with members of the Kyrene Rotary this Saturday.  Parents helped their children make a list and brought them to Kohl’s department store early in the morning.  Each child was paired with a Rotary club member or another volunteer and provided a budget of $125 for purchase of shoes, clothing and school supplies.  The excited children soon learned their ideas were larger than their budget.  During the morning they learned that value is different than price and how to make comparisons and difficult choices to allocate their money. After 2-3 hours and check out, the children emerged into the sun with their bags eager to show their purchases and explain their choices to their nervously awaiting parents.

The club also provided funding ($1,250) for 10 children.  This is an annual event of the Boys & Girls Club and community youth project of Kyrene Rotary.  More information about the Guadalupe Boys & Girls Club can be found by clicking here

The Center for Habilitation

TCH provides services that support, care for and empower adults with developmental and physical disabilities. Services improve the quality of life, alleviate barriers to independence, and help Arizonans of all ages reach their full potential.

We take pride in finding new and relevant ways to meet the needs of individuals with disabilities while promoting their independence and self-determination. Our dedicated and caring staff members work to encourage clients to make their own choices, gain confidence and control over their own lives, improve their abilities, and overcome barriers to quality living.

To learn more about TCH Click Here

The Kyrene Rotary Club has provided financial support to TCH for several years and our members have participated in several projects to assist TCH

Serving Meals at the Phoenix Rescue Mission

The Phoenix Rescue Mission is a place of hope, healing, and new beginnings for men, women, and children in our community struggling with homelessness, addiction, and trauma.
Their mission is Providing Christ-centered, life-transforming solutions to persons facing hunger and homelessness.
Their vision is A community mobilized to transform lives and end hunger and homelessness
The Kyrene Rotary Club serves lunch to people at the Mission in April of every year.
 

Supporting Faculty and Staff at Corona del Sol High School

Corona del Sol High School is part of the Tempe Union High School District. You can find the District's Strategic Plan here.
The Kyrene Rotary Club has had a close relationship with this school for many years.  We have recruited students to participate in the Youth Exchange Program as Out-bound students traveling to many different countries. We have also placed several In-bound students from the Youth Exchange program in the school.
Our club supports a monthly recognition award program for Faculty and Staff. Recipients of the monthly awards receive gift certificates and they are identified on our web site.
 

The 100 Club of Arizona

The concept of the “100 Club” was born in Detroit in 1952, following the fatal shooting of a young Detroit officer. Moved by the situation, William M. Packer, who was the largest Pontiac Dealer in the nation and a friend of the police commissioner, wrote to 100 of his friends encouraging them to donate to a fund for the fallen officer. He received a 100 percent response rate. Packer and the commissioner met with the expectant widow, reviewed her finances and arranged to pay off the mortgage on their recently purchased home, pay all the bills, set up an education account for the yet unborn child and deposited $7,000 in the widow’s checking account.

In 1965, a young Phoenix officer was killed in the line-of-duty. Several acquaintances with knowledge of the Detroit 100 Club got together and started the Phoenix 100 Club, and became an official 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization in 1968. One of the earliest members was Frank Haze Burch. Frank’s father was the first Phoenix police officer killed in the line-of-duty in 1924, when Frank was just five years old. 
 

The charter mission of the 100 Club of Arizona was to come to the immediate financial aid of the family of an officer who gave his or her life in the line-of-duty. As time passed, this mission expanded and changed. At one time, education assistance and medical insurance were provided to survivors. Today, these types of insurance benefits for survivor families are provided by various government branches. The 100 Club aims to provide any type of support needed by beneficiary families. We have added safety stipends to purchase equipment and training that underfunded departments can't otherwise afford, scholarships for family members of officers & firefighters seeking a higher education or trade, H.E.R.O.S. fund for various financial hardship cases. We provide services and financial aid to ALL public safety members throughout Arizona. We stand behind the men and women who stand behind the badge.

Throughout the decades, the 100 Club of Arizona evolved its mission in a variety of ways. First, in 1994, the 100 Club of Arizona elected to provide immediate financial assistance tofirefighters and law enforcement officers seriously injured in the line-of-duty, in addition to the families of officers’ who died in the line-of-duty. In 1997, Native American reservation tribal firefighters and law enforcement officers where added as recipients. Today, the 100 Club of Arizona supports all police, correctional, probation and parole officers, firefighters, and federal agents who are serving and protecting the citizens of Arizona. This includes all county, tribal, state and federal levels. 
 

The 100 Club of Arizona and its members realize that money can never make up for the loss of or disability of a loved one, but it can be helpful in covering immediate expenses. In addition, the 100 Club of Arizona has a committee of experts, including members of the fallen officer’s agency, CPAs, attorneys, trust officers, brokers, financial consultants, insurance consultants and employee benefits consultants. This team, at the survivor’s request, will advise and counsel families in a wide-range of areas without cost or obligation.

 The 100 Club of Arizona is a volunteer, benevolent, nonprofit, 501(c)(3) organization. Federal T.I.N. 23-7172077. The 100 Club of Arizona is managed by a volunteer Board of Directors elected by the membership at the annual meeting. The Board meets quarterly or as needed to determine policy and direction, while undertaking the responsibility of stewardship for the 100 Club of Arizona.  Click Here to learn more about this fantastic organization.
The Kyrene Rotary Club contributed $5000 to the 100 Club from our first Kyrene Golf Classic in April 2018. The 100 Club was the major benefactor from our Golf Tournament.
 

A World in Motion (AWIM)

In this program for Middle School classrooms, students work on building a Motorized Toy Car.
Students develop new designs for electric gear driven toys. The students are involved in writing proposals, drawing sketches, and working with models to develop a plan to meet a specific set of design requirements. Force and friction, simple machines, levers and gears, torque and design are the core scientific concepts covered in this challenge.
The Kyrene Rotary Club has provided financial support and many volunteer hours to students in the Kyrene del Pueblo Middle School for the past few years.
Volunteers are paired up with teams of 3-4 students who work each week for 8 weeks to complete the project. The overall project is managed by the science teacher at the school.
Students present their designs and test results in the last week and are judged on multiple aspects.  Winning teams are awarded Gold, Silver, and Bronze medals.  Student feedback has been very positive. Click Here to learn more 

The Rotary Vocational Fund of Arizona

The mission of The Rotary Vocational Fund of Arizona, Inc. (TRVFA) is to partner with Rotary Clubs to provide assistance to Qualified Candidates in obtaining education, training, and skill development so they may, in turn, attain career oriented employment and financial stability and contribute to their communities.
 
Our vision is for students go on to become productive citizens in our state. The education they obtain will help them earn a living and raise their families. Because of their increased earning potential they help grow the economy of the state of Arizona.
TRVFA  was incorporated by Rotarians as a 501(c)(3) public charity which is managed by a board made up entirely of Rotarian leaders.  It is an on-going multi-district project which was "blessed" by Rotary International in 1993.  For over 25 years, this organization was been a model of vocational service enabling the benefitting vocational scholars to move into well paying professions.  The Rotary equivalent of choosing to "teach a man to fish so he will be fed for a lifetime as opposed to giving a man a fish and feeding him for a day.
To Learn more about TRVFA CLICK HERE