Rotary International is a global organization committed to Service Above Self. Rotarians are community volunteers — raising money we contribute to non-profit organizations and offering direct hands-on support.
On Tuesday Westport Sunrise Rotary president George Masumian presented a check to Alison Milwe-Grace, owner of AMG Catering & Events, the initial portion of a $5,000 District Disaster Grant to pay her for providing 385 prepared, microwavable meals for the clients of Homes With Hope's Gillespie Center shelter in Westport.
$2,500 is being provided by the Rotary district to which Sunrise belongs — 59 clubs in communities along Long Island Sound, from Greenwich to Stonington — the remainder by the club, from funds raised through its Great Duck Race and its wine tasting celebration, Westport Uncorked.
Sunrise Rotary has long supported Homes With Hope. We serve dinner to Gillespie Center residents every month. We cook up a July 4th barbecue. We donate to HWH’s programs. We run a food drive that succeeds on the generosity of Westporters to replenish their food pantry. Yes, Westport has people who are food insecure, even in the best of times.
COVID-19 forced the Gillespie Center to change the way it serves its clients. Those previously residing at the Center are now sheltered in a local hotel. And their meals are now prepared by third parties such as AMG Catering and delivered to them.
"When our Rotary District announced the availability of $2,500 COVID-19 Disaster Response Grants", said Rick Jaffe, Sunrise’s grant writer, "We thought immediately of Homes With Hope."
Working with Helen McAlinden, HWH’s president, we determined that the grant could best be applied to underwriting its new prepared meal program.
To learn how you too can aid Homes With Hope go to: https://www.hwhct.org.
To learn more about Sunrise Rotary, or to make a contribution ("We raise money so we can give it away") go to: http://westportsunriserotary.org.