Denver Mile High Rotary: Operation Allies Refuge
In August of 2021 the U.S. military ended an almost 20-year presence in Afghanistan and withdrew all troops from the Country. Many Afghans who had been employed by the US Government are now part of “Operation Allies Refuge”. This government initiative is relocating the employees and their families to the US.
Denver Mile High Rotary (DMHR) has been proud to sponsor a family in this program under the direction of Project Worthmore, a sanctioned US resettlement program. The Club assisted in the family’s assimilation for over a year. Primary areas of need included housing, household furnishings, transportation, education, medical, employment, cultural activities, local outings, food sourcing and general urban awareness. After six months of intense interactions beginning February 2022, the family is becoming increasingly self-supporting and the frequency of contacts is decreasing.
The club has also provided a financial grant to Project Worthmore which uses donated funds to assist other refugee families with their transition costs.
DMHR volunteering members guided the original Afghan family of 8 children and parents to a successful calendar year. The family made strides to secure housing and employment, as well as to master English.
Year 2 with "newcomers" arriving by unconventional means was a challenge. Soon after arriving, 4 additional families were on their way to housing, food sourcing and employment. Work visas were applied for along with immigration/asylum document processing.
If you would like to join the volunteers, please contact Tom Cella or Marty Waters. Interacting with the family will be an extraordinary experience.
The Rotary Club of Rudramati Kathmandu and the Rotary Club of Denver Mile High are proud to announce the approval of the Nepal Cold Storage Global Grant 2010856 by The Rotary Foundation. Rudramati Rotary and Denver Mile High Rotary have partnered on several grants in the past with very successful outcomes. Denver Mile High is fortunate to partner with the Rudrumati Club and work with their committed and highly motivated members.
Uganda Mental Health Global Grant, sponsored by the Rotary Club of Denver Mile High, was launched on August 31, 2021.
The 9-month project consists of two primary activities: 1) mental health counseling and 2) empowerment skills.
The first stages of the project were to provide booster training for current health workers, train new trainers and train new health workers. These trainings were all essential to prepare for the primary purpose of the the Grant: to offer counseling to the community members with mental health issues.
The reaction of the new trainees has already confirmed the importance of this grant:
- Jenneth, a newly trained health worker, said that the training he received gave him a lot of knowledge that he is going to use for the rest of his life.
- Margaret said that, with what she and the other new health workers learned, they will be able to do something good in the community.
As of early January, the Grant has funded 1671 counseling sessions. The next step is to provide 100 young mothers with economic skills to help them launch successful businesses.
$103,500 Water Grant in Zimbabwe
Click here for PowerPoint presented by Stella Dongo from Zimbabwe on COVID19 and its impact on Rotary activities
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Denver Mile High Rotary has partnered with the Rotary Club of Highlands in Zimbabwe since 2005, focusing on economic training for women. But when the Highlands Rotarians met with community representatives from Tafara and Mabvuku, in the suburbs of Harare, the Rotarians found out that clean water was a much bigger issue. So we turned our efforts to rehabilitating current community wells, drilling new ones, and emphasizing improved sanitation. Get the rest of the story.
Volunteering Opportunities
The impact in 2020 of COVID19 was devastating and Denver Mile High Rotarians rose to the challenge. Whether we were packaging food, painting storage facilities or assisting with COVID19 vaccinations, we were contributing time and money to help.
The Rotary Club of Denver Mile High meets every Wednesday, but often in unique locations. At 7am on the first Wednesday of each month we visit a business or a non-profit to find out more about their mission and activities. It's a great way to find our more about what's going on around Denver. Check our calendar to find out the location. Other Wednesdays, we have moved our meeting location to the Mosaic Community Campus at 1785 Quebec Street, Denver 80220. We are looking forward to joining this community where education, housing and the arts come together.
Our meetings are on the second, third and fourth Wednesdays each month. Come visit and join us for a full or continental complimentary breakfast. We schedule interesting and informative speakers at every meeting. Check our calendar to find out what is happening during the month. If you have questions about our meetings, please call 303-725-6918.
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