WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

Rotary and The Rotary Foundation (TRF) are in the business of Doing Good in the World and members of the Rotary family are committed to polio eradication efforts until the world is certified polio-free.

Rotary took on the challenge of helping to eradicate Polio in 1985. Together Rotary and our key partners are fully committed in the effort to eradicate Polio. No child should ever have to suffer from this terrible disease! Polio is preventable, but it will take enormous resources and support and we need your help.

The PolioPlus Society was created as a program to generate sustained giving. It has been set up in a similar way to how the Paul Harris Fellow program was originally started – which is as a District-led program. The PHF program eventually turned into an RI program, but the PPS has a short time frame as we hope to eradicate polio by 2029. The PolioPlus Society first started in 2012 as a way to create recurring sustained giving to Rotary’s #1 humanitarian effort and has been a great success. The PPS was formally recognized in October 2022 when the RI Trustees endorsed the PPS as a Club and District-led program and agreed that these Societies will develop their own parameters for membership and their own donor recognition program.

The Rotary District-led PolioPlus Society recognizes Rotarians, Rotaractors and friends of the Rotary Foundation who commit to End Polio by giving a recurring amount determined by the criteria set forth in each District. Today PolioPlus Societies can be found in Districts and Zones across the globe! The program has been a tremendous success in growing support each year and also in engaging our members in the effort . As a PolioPlus Society member you will be able to say that your commitment helped us to eradicate polio. And, your donations receive a 2 to 1 match by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

As a District-led program Districts can set up their PPS however it makes best sense for them. That means any amount, recognition and process so no two District PPS may work the same EXCEPT for the recurring giving to PolioPlus. Many PPS have been set up with a minimum suggested giving of $100 per year. PPS members may receive a special PPS pin, a certificate, polio coin or other types of recognition depending on their District.

To become a member of the PolioPlus Society, please contact your PolioPlus contact, End Polio Now Coordinator OR you can go to EndPolio.org/Donate and make your own tax deductible recurring donation to The Rotary Foundation’s Polio Plus Fund until such time that Polio is eradicated and the World Health Organization certifies the world free of Polio. Thanks to your generosity we will be able to continue to provide the support needed to make the world polio free.

Your commitment to joining the PPS provides a significant increase to the contributions to help the Global Polio Eradication Initiative and, of course, all donations will receive a 2 to 1 match by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

Please note that your contributions also earn you Foundation Recognition Points which not only count towards your PHF Donor status but, are also transferable to other members or your club.

The PPS is open to all members of the Rotary family including: Rotarians, Rotaractors, Partners-In-Service, Friends and Family…so please share and promote the PPS program among your Rotary, personal and professional networks. The PolioPlus Society has already proven to be a great strategy to raise funds, it encourages continued member support. and higher levels of giving over time have already been recorded. The PPS also allows Districts to thank, steward and cultivate their most generous givers.

For more information on the PolioPlus Society, please email Kim Walden

Together We Will Eradicate Polio – only the second human disease ever to be eradicated from the world. Thank you for supporting our Countdown To History and Rotary’s goal to #EndPolioNow.

HOW TO JOIN THE PPS

Here are some simple steps on how to join the PolioPlus Society

1. Please review the list below to contact your District’s End Polio Now Coordinator who will guide you on the specifics of joining your District’s PolioPlus Society.

2a. When you are ready to join, make an online contribution to TRF’s PolioPlus Fund via Credit Card
→ Login to My Rotary (where possible) to ensure your contribution and foundation recognition points are counted towards your name
→ Go to https://endpolio.org/donate to set up an appropriate recurring donation frequency (monthly, quarterly, annually) if desired so you do not forget each year
→ Select the PolioPlus Fund
→ Enter all necessary information
→ Follow any additional steps outlined by your District

2b. Alternatively, you can make an offline contribution to TRF’s PolioPlus Fund via cheque, bank draft or wire transfer
→ Download and use the TRF contribution form and instructions

3. Follow any additional steps outlined by your District

4. Please Join the Global PolioPlus Society Group on Facebook for updates and activities.

PPS CHAMPION CLUBS

The RI Club Excellence Award (formerly the RI Citation Award Goal) already asks each club to set a goal of and to raise at least US $1500 annually for Polio. At the end of the Rotary year, those clubs which achieve this goal are recognized by The Rotary Foundation. However, there is no commitment needed from clubs for this recognition.

As a new offering, a Rotary or Rotaract club can itself now earn PPS recognition by actively committing to contribute at least US $1500 every year to the PolioPlus Fund. Once the goal is achieved, the Clubs will be specially recognized as PPS Champion Clubs (in addition to the above TRF recognition). Just like with individual members of the PPS, the difference here is the commitment by the Club to contribute at least US $1500 annually to the PolioPlus Fund rather than if it may or may not achieve it.

For more information, please contact your District’s End Polio Now Coordinator.

DISTRICT PPS IN ZONES 33/34

ZONE	DISTRICT	Contact Your End Polio Now Coordinator
33	7280	Colleen Bonadonna
33	7305
33	7360
33	7545
33	7570
33	7600
33	7610
33	7620
33	7630
33	7670	Nancy Barbee
33	7680
33	7690
33	7710
33	7720
33	7730
33	7750
33	7770
34	6890	Jeffrey Michaelman
34	6900	Bruce Azevedo
34	6910
34	6920
34	6930	Jeffrey Michaelman
34	6940
34	6950
34	6960
34	6970
34	6980
34	6990
34	7000	Lindsey Cancino
34	7020
34	7030
To share your PPS content on social media or for information on the Worldwide PPS Facebook group please contact Kim Walden, EPNC for Social Media and Worldwide PolioPlus Society

HOW TO START A PPS IN YOUR DISTRICT

The PolioPlus Society is a program currently being used by the Districts throughout the Rotary World to help increase contributions to the PolioPlus Fund.

Each individual District administrates its own PolioPlus Society usually via its District PolioPlus Chair or their designate with coordination of their End Polio Now Coordinator.

To explore and start a PPS for your own district…

Download the PPS Toolkit which contains valuable reference and template resources
Establish a PolioPlus Society Chair
Include a budget line item for recognition materials if applicable
Use pins and/or certificates/coins, etc. for recognition at the individual and/or club level
Involve Assistant Governors and Public Image Chairs

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