Much-needed help for the Northwest Philadelphia community
Philadelphia has the highest rate of poverty of any large city in the United States. Germantown has levels 50% higher than the city as a whole, with one third of its residents living in deep poverty ($6,380 individual; $13,100 family of four), making it difficult to afford basic necessities of food or shelter.
Our Vision
Chestnut Hill, Mt. Airy and Germantown. They are more than just a collection of neighborhoods that are linked by Germantown Avenue. From the time George Washington led his troops down Germantown Avenue from Valley Forge to confront the British to today’s bustling corridor, Chestnut Hill, Mt. Airy and Germantown have shared a common history and bond.
However, in today’s Northwest Philadelphia area, there are tremendous disparities in income levels, access to services, and needs in the community. Thankfully, there is a wide range of well-run not-for-profit organizations who are stepping up to serve people in need.
By introducing The Fund for Northwest Philadelphia, our aim is to connect those who have resources and an abiding love for the area with those groups in the area who do extraordinary work to enhance and support our community.
All of this is being put together by the Chestnut Hill Rotary. We are part of Rotary’s vast network 1.4 million members in 46,000 Clubs, in 200 countries around the world. From its beginnings in Chicago in 1905, Rotary has evolved as times have changed, but one thing has always held true: The foundation of Rotary is a service organization. Its members offer hands-on services to the community and provide financial support to charitable causes.
Case for the endowment, long-term sustainability
If you live, work in, or just love the atmosphere of Northwest Philadelphia, then you have already bought in to the idea that you want to be part of a community with history, natural beauty, and ethnic and cultural diversity. So, the idea of creating a fund that helps to maintain the vibrancy of our community is a natural extension to the reason people are attracted to Northwest Philadelphia. City life is vibrant and complex, beautiful and bittersweet. If you’re a part of Chestnut Hill, you get the vibrancy and commitment that city life entails.
For nearly 30 years, Chestnut Hill Rotary has lent a hand and offered monetary support to improve life in Northwest Philadelphia. There is certainly a need to help others. Hunger, homelessness, violence and crime, drug use, aging and children’s services are all needs in the community. We are looking to further that support by creating a fund that can invest in larger, more significant projects that have a lasting impact on the community. That’s where the Fund for Northwest Philadelphia comes in.
But why an endowment? Chestnut Hill has been a vibrant community for over 200 years. And Germantown for even a longer period of time. The need to maintain the natural beauty of the community, to care for the important history of Northwest Philadelphia and to embrace the needs of the less fortunate are ongoing. An endowment means you can provide a legacy that will last for generations. And all this is administered by an organization that has existed for over 100 years, with a consistent mission to serve others.
Why give to the Fund for Northwest Philadelphia versus directly to charities?
Could you donate to these organizations directly without the involvement of Rotary? Sure! And if that’s your desire, please do so, since support is always needed. But the Chestnut Hill Rotary will take the added step of establishing communication directly with organizations to make sure your funds are used and invested wisely.
Each year, the Chestnut Hill Rotary Foundation will solicit funding requests from non-profit organizations in Northwest Philadelphia. We will also utilize our members’ extensive knowledge of the local community to identify areas of need. Where possible, funding will be matched with a grant from Rotary International funds to increase the impact. We will thoroughly review each group’s IRS Form 990, review the specific project or purpose funds are needed, and interview the key members of the organization.
The work that the Chestnut Hill Rotary will put toward administering this Fund is part of our organization’s commitment to helping the community, The Chestnut Hill Rotary Foundation will not charge the fund an administration cost for their time and effort.
Impact of the donations
Since this is an endowed fund that will grow over time, it will provide steady and reliable support for Northwest Philadelphia in perpetuity. We will begin funding organizations when the assets in the fund are greater than $50,000, and through this fund, we will make grants which are at a minimum $4,000. Our goal is to identify organizations that are effectively using funds they receive and find projects or programs that we believe will have lasting impact on the community.
We will monitor how the funds are used and expect a report from the organization as soon as the project is completed. Lastly, on an annual basis, we will issue a report to all donors of The Fund for Northwest Philadelphia on how their contributions are being used.
Our Mission
The Rotary Club of Chestnut Hill focuses on helping others, improving communities, and providing financial resources to those less fortunate, while enjoying fellowship. We provide services to the local neighborhoods of Chestnut Hill, Mt. Airy, and Germantown neighborhoods in Philadelphia as well as surrounding communities.
Our Impact
Our members volunteer more than 1,100 hours annually serving our local community. We raise more than $25,000 for local and international projects, serving thousands of people in need. Our causes focus on supporting education, improving communities, protecting the environment, fighting disease, and disaster response
Investment Strategy
The investment strategy of the fund will continue to evolve as the endowment grows. At the early stage, the funds in the endowment will be held to preserve capital and ensure that enough income is generated to begin supporting the community. Over time, we will aim to generate a 6% - 7% long term return. This will allow us to be conservatively managed, invest 4% in the community and have additional income so that the fund keeps pace with inflation.
Giving opportunities
Download the Fund for Northwest Philadelphia brochure
The Fund for Northwest Philadelphia will accept cash, stock, retirement plan distributions and other financial instruments. We will gladly discuss possibilities with you, refer you to estate or financial professionals for guidance how to give in the most effective ways possible and work with your financial and estate professionals to help create a plan that is tailored to your needs.
The Fund for Northwest Philadelphia will be operated in addition to the ongoing efforts of the Chestnut Hill Rotary Foundation to gather support in the Community with events such as our highly successful Lobsterfest and our annual contributions to a variety of local charities.
For more information about the Chestnut Hill Rotary Foundation’s operation of The Fund for Northwest Philadelphia, please feel free to email Tim Sager at timsager58@gmail.com
Legacy gift
Making a gift to the Fund for Northwest Philadelphia will leave a long-lasting legacy in your name or of a designated name for the future. Donations received will be invested in perpetuity with earnings used to help those in need. Your gift will grow over time and will be used to help more people.
Ways to contribute to The Fund for Northwest Philadelphia
Donate:
Online by credit card or PayPal account
Automatically with recurring monthly or annually online
By check
Appreciated stock
IRA through a qualified charitable distribution
Information on donating stock, retirement plan distributions and other financial instruments coming soon.
Donate to The Fund for Northwest Philadelphia
Or you can send a check made out to:
Chestnut Hill Rotary Foundation
Attention: Tim Sager, Treasurer
200 Montgomery Avenue
Erdenheim, PA 19038
Indicate on the check that your donation is for the Fund for Northwest Philadelphia.
The Foundation of the Rotary Club of Chestnut Hill is recognized as a nonprofit organization under Chapter 501(c) 3 of the Internal Revenue Code. Gifts and bequests to The Foundation of the Rotary Club of Chestnut Hill are tax-deductible for income, gift and estate tax purposes to the extent provided by law.
In the Philadelphia community, we have provided financial support for:
Programs that promote health, empowerment and safety for communities affected by drug use and poverty.
School programs designed to build personal development and leadership skills
Recyclable food bags for programs that serve daily nutritional needs of any of people challenged by illness, disability or age.
Programs that provide women, children and families residential and community-based services as they work to break the cycle of poverty, homelessness, and abuse.
Struggling families and individuals who are experiencing homelessness
Programs that provide skills, opportunities, and transitional employment to people returning from prison which helps to build safer communities and contribute to stronger families while saving taxpayer money.
Science teaching modules for elementary students in The School District of Philadelphia
The purchase and distribution of dictionaries for third graders in local schools.
Education and business networking programs necessary to strengthen the business formation necessary to contribute to improving Northwest Philadelphia’s minority business ecosystem.
In the international community, we have provided funding and support for:
Care for abused and neglected children in Guyana from infants to 18 years of age.
Educational training programs that support orphaned children, job training for young adults, and small business loans for impoverished women in Uganda.
A project with other Rotary Clubs that provides a economical housing for a families in need in Mexico.
Rotary-based programs that provide immediate shelter and support to communities around the world who are impacted by natural disasters or conflicts.
