• Rotary Year: 2018-2019
  • Application Date: 5/31/2018
  • Club Name: Martinsville-Henry County
  • Project Name: Bridges Out of Poverty
  • Project Total Expenditures: $3,000.00
  • Grant Amount Requested: $1,500.00
  • Describe the Project, its location and its objectives: This is a partnership between our Rotary Club and the United Way of Henry County-Martinsville VA. Bridges out of Poverty is a community wide project by non-profits to help end generalization poverty. This is a nationally recognized program https://www.ahaprocess.com/solutions/community/ with guidelines on how to create programs for individuals to become self-sufficient. Our club’s part would be to vet families through the United Way annual cohort group of 12-14 individuals that receive intense 12 months of coaching and counseling to succeed in breaking the poverty cycle. The family that needs a washer and dryer in their homes and has a hook up would receive a set in their home. This saves the family countless hours each week taking the children to laundromat and the cost associated with doing so. There would be a written contract agreement that states the club owns the machines until which time the recipient pay it off (suggesting a $10 to $20 per month repayment) and the landlord signs agreeing the Club owns the machines and cannot be seized during an eviction. With a washer and dryer in the home the family saves value time and money giving them more time at home and less money spent on the essentials. By having the recipients repay the money over time it will create a self-sustaining program. It is important to understand our Rotary Club makes the decision on who receives the equipment.

    (The funds would be spent by the end of the fiscal year if there are enough vetted families eligible to participate. We should be able to help up to 4 to 5 families. We would work with a local appliance dealer to buy and install basic equipment in the homes.)
  • This is the Club’s: Primary Project Application
  • Expected Start Date: 11/1/2018
  • Expected End Date: 5/7/2019
  • Expected Number of Beneficiaries: 20
  • Describe how the project will benefit the community and/or improve the lives of the less fortunate: As stated above the benefit to the community is to get more families self-sufficient and not rely on government assistance. The improvement to the quality of life for the families is tremendous as now they stay home to do laundry and have more time with the children. The cost savings is enormous as the average trip to the laundromat is well over $30 per week to wash and dry 5 loads of laundry. The total savings per month is $120-$20 payment or $100. That is huge for a family. The money saved can be applied to housing, food or transportation. The extra time with the family…..priceless!

  • Estimated Total Project Volunteer Hours: 35
  • Describe the Rotarian hands-on activities in the project (i.e. non-financial participation): We will meet with the families to determine the award and I see us gathering supplies and taking them to the recipient’s homes while taking part in the mentoring process. Given the age and health of club members I don’t see us installing the equipment.
  • Describe the publicity plan to inform the general public that this is a Rotary sponsored project: As the “Bridges Out of Poverty” program kicks off we will receive publicity as a partner to the United Way and perhaps an article each time a family graduates the program and gets set up. We have a Facebook page that will be utilized along with our monthly power hour of service and word of mouth in the community. Plus a PowerPoint presentation shown during our Lobsterfest fund raising event that 400 will see.
  • Cooperating Organizations – Please list each cooperating organization, if any: The United Way of Henry County-Martinsville, Bridges Out of Poverty, The Salvation Army, The Harvest Foundation of Martinsville & Henry County, Carter Bank and Trust

  • Letter(s) of Participation: Martinsville UW Rotary Letter of Support 2018 (1).pdf
  • Project Expenditure Budget – list detail uses of funds for the project, or use the Budget Upload: See Budget Upload
  • Project Funding Budget – list detail sources of funds for the project, or use the Budget Upload: See Budget Upload
  • Budget Upload:2018-2019 Martinsville-Budget-Bridges out of poverty.xls
  • Primary Contact Name: Bob Button
  • Primary Contact Rotary Position: President Elect
  • Primary Contact Email: foresthillspcpastor@gmail.com
  • Primary Contact Phone: 336-402-2904
  • Financial Contact Name: Jim Sells
  • Financial Contact Rotary Position: Treasurer
  • Financial Contact Address: 
    PO Box 3405
    Martinsville, VA 24115
    United States View on Map
  • Financial Contact Email: jsells@sellshoggjones.com
  • Financial Contact Phone: 276-638-3904
  • District Grant Project Authorization LetterMartinsville - PE support letter.docx, Martinsville Grant authorization letter 2018-19.pdf
  • Grant Number: 1819-22
  • Grant Award: $1,500.00