- Rotary Year: 2022-2023
- Application Date: 6/29/2022
- Club Name: Christiansburg-Blacksburg
- Project Name: Blacksburg Refugee Partnership Family Relocation
- Project Total Expenditures: $4,750.00
- Grant Amount Requested: $2,000.00
- Describe the Project, its location and its objectives: The Blacksburg Refugee Partnership (BRP) was founded in 2016 in order to resettle refugees who have
been displaced from their home countries due to some type of strife. The refugees are given that
designation after vetting by the United Nations, and then further by the US State Department and other
government agencies. After this 18 to 24-month process, they are eligible to become legal permanent
residents of the United States.
The BRP’s leader, Scott Bailey, was chosen as our club’s Citizen of the Year for 2022, and so this project
is timely support of a very worthwhile cause.
Our club proposes helping one refugee family resettle to Blacksburg. The family is from Libya, and was
suffering persecution/violence from their government because Ramzi, the father, worked with the US
Embassy in Libya and helped some American citizens escape from Libya during that country’s continuing
migrant crisis. A letter from Richard B. Norland, US Ambassador and Special Envoy for Libya is attached,
describing the reasons for this family’s hasty exit from Libya. Note that the family’s last name has been
redacted in the letter for their protection. They have three young children, one of whom has cerebral
palsy, and thus needs long-term physical therapy.
We propose to fund their first two months of rent (including a security deposit), electric and other
utilities, basic living needs such as extra (weather appropriate) clothing, bed linens, hygiene products,
some meals, etc. while the family gets on their feet in the community. Many of those items will be
donated by our club members and others, but the BRP has found that some funding to buy items
needed is necessary, and we have budgeted for that. The BRP has been very successful at helping
families find employment, doctors who can provide their family’s medical needs, learn the public
transportation system, enrolling the kids in schools, etc., typically within 1 to 2 months of the family’s
arrival. Our Rotary club members will be involved in these activities as drivers, advocates, and other
means of support. - This is the Club’s: Primary Project Application
- Expected Start Date: 8/15/2022
- Expected End Date: 12/31/2022
- Expected Number of Beneficiaries: 5
- Describe how the project will benefit the community and/or improve the lives of the less fortunate: As stated in the project description, this family is in desperate need of help getting established in their new community. While they will be the direct beneficiaries, our Rotary club, as well as our larger community, will also benefit from knowing that we are doing a small part to address one of several current crises in our world that are leading people to uproot their families and flee their country in search of safety in an unknown land. Rotary's worldwide recognition, and our motto of service above self gives us the unique position to make sure this family has the stability they are searching for while they reorganize their lives in this new place.
- Estimated Total Project Volunteer Hours: 82
- Describe the Rotarian hands-on activities in the project (i.e. non-financial participation): Help with securing donations of needed items (furnishings, clothing, household necessities) - 30 hours
Furniture donation collection - 6 hours
Help with the family's move-in - 20 hours
Transportation for family to doctor's appointments, shopping, school registration, etc. - 12 hours
Support volunteers to teach the family the local public transit system - 4 hours
Donor prepared/delivered meals - 10 hours
- Describe the publicity plan to inform the general public that this is a Rotary sponsored project: While we need to be sensitive to the privacy of the family, the BRP has been very successful at getting media coverage (TV, local papers, social media) about the help they are providing, without giving specific details about the refugee families. We will follow that model and emphasize the partnership between Rotary and the Blacksburg Refugee Partnership in all of our press releases, social media posts, and local promotion. The BRP has a tremendous extended network of local volunteers and partner organizations who are routinely briefed on the progress for each family's move, and Rotary will be mentioned in those internal communications. This will be reaching a target audience of service-oriented locals about Rotary's ideals.
- Cooperating Organizations – Please list each cooperating organization, if any: Blacksburg Refugee Partnership
- Letter(s) of Participation: Letter_for_Rotary_Collaboration_20220628.pdf
- Project Expenditure Budget – list detail uses of funds for the project, or use the Budget Upload: Two months rent at Fieldstone Apartments (3 BR) - $2300
Security Deposit - $250
Extra clothes for rain or cold, day to day hygiene, towels, bed linens, etc. - $1000
Utilities Deposits/Set up Fees - $200
Utility and Food Bills for first two months - $1000 - Project Funding Budget – list detail sources of funds for the project, or use the Budget Upload: Rotary Club of Christiansburg-Blacksburg - $2000
District Grant Funding - $2000
Blacksburg Refugee Partnership - $750 - Primary Contact Name: Terri L. Fisher
- Primary Contact Rotary Position: Area Governor, Area 9
- Primary Contact Email: t3rri.fish3r@gmail.com
- Primary Contact Phone: 540-726-7406
- Financial Contact Name: Paul Farrier, Jr.
- Financial Contact Rotary Position: Treasurer, Rotary Club of Christiansburg-Blacksburg
- Financial Contact Address:
109 Cohee Road Blacksburg, VA 24060 United States View on Map
- Financial Contact Email: pfarrier@vt.edu
- Financial Contact Phone: 540-552-2696
- District Grant Project Authorization LetterProject_Authorization_Form_2022.pdf
- Project Supporting Uploads:Ramzi_Letter_from_Ambassador_Norland.pdf
- Grant Number: 2022-03
- Grant Award: $2,000.00
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