Rotary’s Polio eradication program gets another boost from Bill Gates—$255 million!

Rotary International & Bill Gates are making a difference to this little girl and many like her.

After making a $100 million contribution to Rotary’s “Polio Plus” program in late 2007, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation announced an additional grant of $255 million this year.  Rotary clubs in Steamboat Springs and sister clubs around the world have agreed to raise another $200 million in matching funds to complement the Gates Foundation gift.

 

“Rotarians, government leaders and health professionals have made a phenomenal commitment so polio afflicts only a small number of the world’s children,” said Bill Gates, co-chair of the Gates Foundation. “However, complete elimination of the polio virus is difficult and will continue to be difficult for a number of years. Rotary in particular has inspired my own personal commitment to get deeply involved in achieving eradication.”

 Rotary’s challenge is to raise funds to match the Gates Foundation contribution over the next three years.  While each of Rotary’s 33,000 clubs worldwide has been asked to raise at least $1,000, the Steamboat Springs Rotary Club and the Ski Town USA Rotary Club hope to do much more.  “The last time we ran a polio eradication fundraising campaign here we raised more than $13,000,” said Rotarian Brooks Kellogg. 

Since the first Gates Foundation challenge grant was announced, Rotary clubs have raised $62 million in contributions and $11 million in commitments toward the goal. Their enthusiastic commitment was a major reason the second challenge was made and accepted.

Rotary also invites the general public to participate by visiting www.rotary.org/endpolio to learn about polio eradication and contribute to Rotary’s $200 Million Challenge.