Rotary is an international  organization whose purpose is to bring together business and professional leaders to provide humanitarian services, to encourage high ethical standards in all vocations, and to advance goodwill and peace around the world.  Rotary is open to all people regardless of race, color, creed, religion, gender, or political preference. There are more than 1.2 million Rotarians in over 35,000 Rotary clubs worldwide.  The Rotary motto is "service above self.” 

 
Within Tacoma, the Rotary Club of Tacoma #8 invests in non-profit organizations throughout the community, recommended by the Community Grants Committee, that serve low-income children and seniors.   Rotary #8 also has many “hands-on” projects where Rotarians offer their service.  Some of these "hands on" projects that have been supported are:  
Food Drives and Repacks - for the Emergency Food Network. Regularly club members volunteer to participate in  repacking food for distribution into the community; and
Little Free Libraries - Rotarians build and install these libraries, filled with good children's books, near low-income elementary schools.
 
Rotary #8 has international projects such as clean water projects in Ethiopia and India, has brought firefighting equipment to Mexico, and has delivered school materials to Malawi.   Tacoma Rotarians have given Polio immunizations to children in India and Africa.
 
Throughout the world, Rotary Clubs, including Rotary #8, have contributed nearly $900 million to eradicate polio in the world.   More than one half billion children in developing countries have been immunized against polio, through Rotary’s PolioPlus campaign.
 
Rotary’s Youth Exchange sends 7,000 high-school age students abroad each year, to study in another country and to learn about its society and culture.  The goal is to promote world peace.  Rotary # 8 has always welcomed inbound students and have identified local students to travel to other  countries to participate in this life-changing experience.