Service Projects

Youth & Education

Rotary Honors Scholars Mentoring Program
We provide structured mentoring/coaching to scholars at Iroquois High School and Western High School who meet defined academic, behavioral and attendance standards. More than 80 Rotarians and community members work with IHS and WHS students at two locations on six separate occasions each year, providing these promising young people with the tools to move from high school to college and ultimately to a successful career. RHS Committee members also provide oversight of the Promise Scholarship Endowment with JCTC, JCPS, and Evolve502.

Interact Clubs
We sponsor Interact Clubs at Western High School and Iroquois High School. Interact Clubs bring together youth ages 12-18 to develop leadership skills while discovering the power of Service Above Self. Benefits include connecting with leaders in our community and around the world to 1) take action and make a difference in the school and community, 2) discover new cultures and promote international understanding, 3) develop leadership skills, and 4) have fun and make new friends. Learn more HERE.

West End School 
We support the literacy program at West End School by funding reading and testing materials; Rotarian volunteers foster literacy through reading and discussion with 8th grade students.

Speech Contest
We participate with public and private high schools and other Rotary Clubs in Rotary District 6710 to host speech contests for scholarship awards. Learn more about our speech contest HERE.

Unsung Heroes
In collaboration with Metro Louisville Rotary Club Charities and Kosair for Kids, we host an annual celebration luncheon to recognize high school seniors for their volunteer efforts, consistent with Rotary’s commitment to Service Above Self. Students receive gifts and a small scholarship along with the opportunity to apply for the larger four year Ted Buerck Scholarships (see next item).

Theodore Buerck Scholarship
Four-year scholarships ($2,000 per year) for two recipients chosen from among Unsung Hero applicants are matched with funds from either UofL, Bellarmine, or Spalding. Paid from bequest to Rotary Fund from Theodore Buerck designated for scholarships.

Educational Justice
The Educational Justice program strives to end educational inequity by pairing a 5th-8th grade student with a high-achieving high school student for long-term academic mentorship aimed at both improving academic performance and providing a meaningful student leadership experience.

Imagination Library of Louisville
The Dolly Parton Imagination Library supports early childhood literacy by mailing a free, age-appropriate, monthly book to children ages birth to five years old. In addition to a grant, we provide volunteers to staff tables at events to help enroll families.

Leadership Fellows

Leadership Fellows Program
The Rotary Leadership Fellows Program is a partnership between the Rotary Club of Louisville, the University of Louisville and the family of Baylor Landrum, Jr. This program is designed to identify, inspire, and connect the next generation of community leaders and provide opportunities for them to enhance their involvement in leadership and community development initiatives that benefit themselves and the community.

Learn more about the program HERE.

Awards & Recognition

Trees are planted to memorialize Rotarians who have died in the previous 12 months. Learn more about Rotary Awards HERE.

Lifeline

Salvation Army Red Kettle Bell Ringing at Kroger during the holidays is a tradition of The Rotary Club of Louisville and an annual fundraising competition with the Kiwanis! By volunteering to ring at a red kettle, Rotarians help those in need during the holidays and all year-round. One hour of bellringing raises enough to feed a family of 4 for a week.

Louisville Knot Sign Cleanup
Volunteers will spend one morning cleaning this art installation at 9th Street and weeding the landscaping as needed.

Repair Affair
Participate with New Directions Housing Corp in their annual Repair Affair, which facilitates basic home repairs of elderly, disabled, or low-income homeowners. We are planning to do a total of three Repair Affair Homes: October 2023 and April & June 2024.

Louisville Sustainability Council 
To support the one-day Summit presented by the Louisville Sustainability Council (LSC) describing an overview of sustainability inclusive of environmental, economic, and social sustainability and to support the LSC Community Microgrant Program which supports the expansion of environmental literacy and education with the goal outcome being heightened environmental awareness and action.

Re:Center Ministries Life Change Monthly Meal
Provide and serve a meal once a month to the residents and staff of the Re:Center Ministries, formerly Louisville Rescue Mission.

Honor Flights
Honor Flights of the Bluegrass takes veterans on a one-day trip to Washington DC to visit the war memorial of the war they served in; Louisville Rotary Club members who are veterans are encouraged to take advantage of this offer. Veteran “guardians” are also needed to accompany veterans on the trip.

First Hour Grief Response
Grief workshops with a licensed art therapist for children ages 8-13 are offered on weekends in West Louisville, including art therapy, tension-relieving stretching instruction and grief counseling.

Co-Sponsor Refugee Family 
Support Kentucky Refugee Ministries to co-sponsor families arriving in Louisville and assist with rent, clothing, household items and other needs. Rotary volunteer team sets up the apartment for the family’s arrival and regularly visits and assists the family for a 3-month period.

Kentucky Humane Society Care-A-Van Day
The Humane Society has a new mobile vet van which would park in an area such as the Louisville Central Community Center parking lot and serve up to 50 pet owners in one day for no or low charge to examine and vaccinate their cats or dogs.

Human Trafficking
Support an annual event to increase awareness of human trafficking and its causes and remedies. Additional topics such as the environment, housing and refugees are discussed.

Habitat for Humanity House ($3,000 District Match)
Participate in the construction of a new home, possibly in the Russell Neighborhood

Community Impact

West Louisville Housing Initiative
Subcommittee Co-Chairs Luke Schmidt and Denise Sears
The West Louisville Housing Initiative (WLHI) is the Club’s signature project that is raising $5 million in the community to establish a dedicated pool of funds, administered by Park Community Credit Union, for the purpose of providing full mortgages for first-time home buyers in the nine traditional West Louisville neighborhoods who can demonstrate an ability to make payments but otherwise cannot qualify for a conventional bank mortgage. The WLHI, the first of its kind program in the U.S., will lessen the dependency on exorbitant rental rates, establish community pride, and, improve education and health outcomes in West Louisville. Learn more HERE.

Gun Violence Initiative
Subcommittee Chair Fred Cowan
The CIC’s Gun Violence Subcommittee has been tasked to evaluate ongoing issues and causes related to gun violence in Louisville, including gun safety, suicides, gang-related shootings, mass shootings, etc., and to develop recommendations regarding positive steps that the Club can take to help reduce the problem in the city for consideration by the Club’s Board of Directors.

Environmental
Subcommittee Chair Alex Novak

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

Attracting Emerging Entrepreneurs
Offer short-term “scholarships” to offset the costs of membership (but not meals) for entrepreneurs/business owners to fully experience Rotary through membership in the Louisville Rotary Club.

Sparking Economic Development
Use existing partnerships, programs, resources, and Rotarians to spark economic development for the underserved communities of Louisville.  

International

POLIO PLUS
We contribute annually to Rotary International’s 30+ year campaign to eradicate polio in the world. The campaign is currently 99.9% successful. Rotary is in partnership with the World Health Organization, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, UNICEF, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and governments of the world.

We partner with other Rotary Clubs in the U.S. or abroad to support the following projects:

Safe Water for 4 Communities (El Salvador)
The project will create a safe water system, through drilling of a deep well, installation of pumps, erection of a distribution and purification tank, and distribution lines to four communities in the mountain municipality of Tepecoyo, La Libertad, El Salvador; includes training for students, staff, and parents in maintenance and hygiene procedures.

Safe Equipment Saves Lives (Columbia)      
The objective is to provide an appropriate Central Sterilization Plant for the hospital serving more than 34,000 adults, 7,400 pregnant women, and 12,500 children each year.

Water for Rural Migori (Kenya)
Rural areas around Migori have needs for safe water beyond what previous projects have provided in Migori. This project will include a water system for one area and adding hand pumps to boreholes that have been drilled by the government, but they didn’t provide any way to retrieve the water.

Rainwater Harvesting (India)
This is a continuation of our developing relationship with Rotarians in Kalash Megapolis Club in Delhi and the Rotary Club of Sanford-Springfield in Maine.  The initial rainwater harvesting project start was delayed as further partners were needed to reach the financial target. These new partners have been successful in making check dams in India each year since 2009; these dams are still functioning.

Water Body Rejuvenation (India)
To address the worst water crisis being faced in India in 40 years, this project would rejuvenate bodies of lakes and other bodies of water. The process includes de-sifting, forestation, and other steps to revitalize sources of water. This comprehensive, community-driven and sustainable project will rejuvenate 11 lakes.

Medical Services for Special Needs (Ukraine)
Purchase and installation of needed equipment and supplies, and training staff for their use and maintenance.

Educational Pilot Program for Victims of Domestic Violence (New Zealand)
Support development and implementation of a critical 6-week educational pilot program for women who are victims of domestic violence in the Maori community of Maketu, New Zealand

Malaria Treatment for Mothers and Children in Kamuli District, Uganda (with New Zealand Club) 
Support purchase and administration of malaria medication while work is underway to build a hospital.

Click HERE to view a slide show of our projects and impact over the years.