Tacoma #8 In Action

Local Community Commitment
The organization as a whole is committed to meeting community needs. Using proceeds from an annual auction, the Tacoma #8 Rotary Foundation and individual Rotarian donors, the club has distributed over 1.5 million dollars to more than 200 non-profit charitable agencies and organizations since 1988.

Support has been given to youth groups including the Camp Fire Boys and Girls, YWCA, YMCA, First Place for Children and Boys and Girls Clubs. Meals for thousands have been provided through the FISH Food Banks, Emergency Food Network and Hospitality Kitchen. Financial donations to the Violent Crime Victims Service, Sexual Assault Crisis Center and Rape Relief have helped to address the problems of harsh crime.  Tacoma 8 has also awarded grants to non profits that help the disabled and seniors.   In he past year grants have been awarded to the following organizations: 

ARK Institute of Learning; Boys and Girls Club (Project Learn); Children’s Museum of Tacoma (Play to Learn); Northwest Leadership Foundation (Eagle Center for Community Learning); Emergency Food Network; Family Support Services (HopeSparks); Frank Tobey Jones (Ruston Senior Center); Neighborhood Clinic (Healthcare for the underserved); Peace Community Center (Hilltop Scholars); Pt. Defiance – Ruston Senior Center; Project Access (Patient access to medical care); Tacoma Community House (Read2Me); RotaCare of Puget Sound; Safe Streets (Youth Leading Change); TACID (Blind/IL Program for Senior Citizens); Peace Community Center (Tutoring); Trinity Presbyterian (Trinity Outreach Program); and the YWCA (Childrens’ Program).

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Auction contributions help local causes and organizations such as:  American Red Cross; Associated Ministries; Boys & Girls Club of South Puget Sound; Catholic Community Services; Child & Family Guidance Center; Communities in Schools of Tacoma; Community Health Care; Girl Scouts of Western Washington; Harbor Community Services; Learning for Life; Merle Palmer Scholarship Fund; Muscular Dystrophy Association; New Phoebe House; Our Sisters' House; Peace Community Center; Pierce County Aids Foundation; Rebuilding Together South Sound; Safe Streets Campaign; Salvation Army; Sound Youth Counseling; St. Charles Borromeo; Starlight Starbright Children's Foudation; Super Club Inner City Outreach; TACID; Toy Rescue Mission; Trinity Presbyterian; YMCA of Tacoma - Pierce County; YMCA Pierce County and Zee Speed Youth.

Additionally, Tacoma #8 Rotary funds have supported the activities of the Preserve Planet Earth committee, helped fund international projects, and provided scholarships for deserving seniors at Tacoma high schools.


Individual Members in Action
Individual club members give of their time and their money to support many community causes such as Paint Tacoma/Pierce County Beautiful, the Giving Tree with toys for kids, rides for seniors, Werlin reading teams tutoring in the schools, Salvation Army bell ringing and purchasing and assembling sacks of food for families in need during spring vacation when school meals are not provided.

For the Courage Classic Bicycle Tour which supports the Mary Bridge Children's Hospital Child Abuse Intervention Department, some members ride and others plan and staff one of the major rest stops.

Tacoma #8 Rotary members also donate their time by serving on boards of many charitable organizations, as well as chairing major fund raising events throughout the city.


Worldwide Connection
It is intended that Tacoma #8 club members help to advance international understanding, goodwill and peace by using the resources of Rotary worldwide. Each year the club supports various international projects, often working with other Rotary clubs.

One such example involves significant contributions to the General Hospital in Mazatlan, Mexico, using club funds combined with matching funds from Rotary International and help from several other Rotary clubs. Donations include a bone scanner, respirators, wheelchairs, fire fighter uniforms, medicine, x-ray machines, scanners, office equipment, operating tables and even an ambulance.

Tacoma #8 Rotary supports the International Youth Exchange program, sponsoring several high school age students sent from other countries for the school year. In exchange, local students are sponsored by Rotary clubs in other countries.

Other international connections are the local Rotary Foundation Scholarship Program and the Group Study Exchange team which are supported through donations to the Rotary International Foundation.