Rotary Club of HMB Foundation Selects 3 Projects for Funding

Three worthy projects have been selected for the Rotary Club of Half Moon Bay Foundation funding this year. $5,000 will be designated for each organization:

Abundant Grace Coastside Worker for the Rainy Day Project and projects with the homeless

Coastside Childrens’ Programs for early math learning training

Senior Coastsiders for Meals on Wheels

The Rotary Club of Half Moon Bay’s popular community fundraiser, Magic of the Coastside, raises the funds required to underwrite these worthy projects. This year’s event will be held on June 2nd at the IDES Hall.

“With so many incredible projects deserving of funds, the Club Foundation elected to select one project each from 3 of the service areas our Club is passionate about and actively involved in: seniors, the homeless, and children,” commented Club President Warren Barmore.

Club members have had the opportunity to volunteer with Abundant Grace’s new initiative for the homeless – the Rainy Day Project – which helps keep the Coastside homeless warm, dry, engaged, and fed during the rainy season. The Rotary Club’s funding will help underwrite the organization’s projects with the homeless community. “This is a critical moment for the homeless in Half Moon Bay,” comments Abundant Grace Executive Director Eric DeBode. “The uncertainty that many of our friends are facing living behind Safeway is stressful and concerning. During this time, we have been able to reach out and provide for basic needs and support with personal care.”

Coastside Children’s Programs serves 54 preschool age children on the Coastside. CCP will designate its funds to training its preschool teachers on how to teach math concepts at the early learner level. “Our preschool staff will benefit greatly from this training in that they will be able to apply the teaching skills acquired from the Math Institute year round to the preschool and pre-k children in our program,” Elisa Magidoff, CCP’s Executive Director said. “CCP is focused on bridging the gap on literacy achievement and aligning with our school districts to prepare children for future academic success.”

Senior Coastsiders will designate its funds to provide heated containers for delivery of meals to homebound frail older adults. “This will enable us to ensure the best, healthiest and safest meal delivery to Coastside homes,” commented Cara Schmaljohn, Senior Coastsiders’ Executive Director. This is part of the Meals on Wheels program which offers not just meal delivery but human contact and kindness to individuals who are homebound. Over 12,000 meals were delivered last year. “Our drivers are all volunteers and they are the eyes and ears for us,” added Cara. “They have found people who have fallen and have not been able to get up and we are able to call for help.”

The Rotary Club of Half Moon Bay is one of 34,000 clubs around the world and is proud to be a supporter of the HEAL Project. Rotary International’s signature cause is the eradication of polio, and the end is in sight with just three countries in the world with endemic cases. The Half Moon Bay Club meets each Thursday for lunch at the Portuguese Center at 724 Kelly Street in downtown Half Moon Bay. http://www.rotaryofhalfmoonbay.com/

Contact Mary Corcoran, Public Relations for the Rotary Club of Half Moon Bay, at mcorcoranhmb@gmail.com or 650-218-0436.