Stories


12 Years of ThanksGIVING Meals Twleve Years of ThanksGIVING meals. Allie B's Cozy Kitchen and Albany came together once again to celebrate 12 incredible years of giving away Thanksgiving meals to families in our community and what a week it’s been. Albany Rotary and Albany Mosaic showed up in service and support. From the days leading up to the holiday, Albany Rotary donated and did the shopping for sweet potato pies, cranberries, cornbread, mac & cheese, cake mixes. To members of both Albany and Albany Mosaic showing up on Thanksgiving day, streets lined double parked with cars loading trunks and hand-delivering meals all around the capital region. This is what community looks like. This is what service above self feels like. We are all grateful to be part of a city that takes care of one another. This is what community is all about. Read more...	12 Years of ThanksGIVING Meals	2025-11-28 05:00:00Z	Food Insecurity,Service
The RED Bookshelf Albany Rotary spends time volunteering at The RED (read each day) Bookshelf helping to prepare books for distribution throughout the capital region. They are a favorite community partner that is currently in our regular service night rotation. While there, we sort and categorize donated books, review, clean and mend books so that they are in like-new condition before they land in the hands of their new owner. Once the books are in tip top condition they are placed in schools, barbershops, health care offices and more awaiting a child to take them to their new home. Read more...	The RED Bookshelf	2025-11-23 05:00:00Z	Literacy,Service
Kind Souls Foundation awarded Grant Albany Rotary Club Awards Grant to Support Kind Souls Foundation’s Certified Volunteer Training & Support Program The Albany Rotary Club has awarded a generous $2,500 Albany Rotary Foundation grant to Kind Souls Foundation, providing vital support for their Certified Volunteer Training & Support Program. This investment strengthens an essential community resource—trained volunteers who offer compassionate, steady support to individuals and families experiencing medical work-displacement. Read more...	Kind Souls Foundation awarded Grant	2025-09-25 04:00:00Z	Grants
Regional Food Bank of Northeastern NY Helping to address food insecurities are a top priority for many Rotary Clubs around the world and Albany Rotary Club is no exception. The Regional Food Bank of NENY is another of our community partners that is on our regular service night rotation. We show up and tackle whatever task is on deck, typically sorting, segregating and boxing food from packaged to frozen to produce. Lending a hand so that the Food Bank can continue to support the many food pantries and giveaways around the region that are crucial for so many people. Read more...	Regional Food Bank of Northeastern NY	2024-07-20 04:00:00Z	Food Insecurity,Service
40th Annual Brian Barr Youth Recognition Awards Albany Rotary partners with seven local childcare agencies to identify foster-care youth for the purpose of affirming their self-worth and bringing the great work of the staff to the community’s attention. In addition, a message is communicated to youth and families that the stigma that is often attached to foster care is being extinguished. Read more...	40th Annual Brian Barr Youth Recognition Awards	2024-05-25 04:00:00Z	Service,Youth
Bins of Fun Each year Albany Rotary sponsors a toys and more collection to benefit the Bernard & Millie Duker Children’s Hospital at Albany Medical Center. Items include toys, activity items and personal care items. They can be purchased through our Amazon Wish List and ship direct to Albany Rotary for collection and delivery to the Bernard & Millie Duker Children’s Hospital at Albany Medical Center. Read more...	Bins of Fun	2023-11-16 05:00:00Z	Service
DSG funding Makes a Slam Dunk Rotary in Action: Supporting Grassroots Organizations That Strengthen Our Community Our Rotary District Grant this year went to helping support Jamil Hood’s Hoods House of Hoops. Helping grassroots organizations make a difference in their communities. It’s always an honor to partner with such a great organization! Members visited Hood's House of Hoops to present a gift of basketball gear and equipment. It also gave us all an opportunity to see and experience first hand the passion that goes into House of Hoops. Read more...	DSG funding Makes a Slam Dunk	2021-11-05 04:00:00Z	DSG,Grants,Grass Roots,Youth
Rotary at the Start of the United Nations Rotary and the United Nations have a shared history of working toward peace and addressing humanitarian issues around the world. During World War II, Rotary informed and educated members about the formation of the United Nations and the importance of planning for peace. Materials such as the booklet “From Here On!” and articles in The Rotarian helped members understand the UN before it was formally established and follow its work after its charter. Many countries were fighting the war when the term “United Nations” was first used officially in the 1942 “Declaration by United Nations.” The 26 nations that signed it pledged to uphold the ideals expressed by the United States and the United Kingdom the previous year of the common principles “on which they based their hopes for a better future for the world.” Read more...	Rotary at the Start of the United Nations	2020-11-05 06:00:00Z
History of Women in Rotary Women are active participants in Rotary, serving their communities in increasing numbers and serving in leadership positions in Rotary. The 1989 Council on Legislation vote to admit women into Rotary clubs worldwide remains a watershed moment in the history of Rotary. “My fellow delegates, I would like to remind you that the world of 1989 is very different to the world of 1905. I sincerely believe that Rotary has to adapt itself to a changing world,” said Frank J. Devlyn, who would go on to become RI president in 2000-01. The vote followed the decades-long efforts of men and women from all over the Rotary world to allow the admission of women into Rotary clubs, and several close votes at previous Council meetings. Read more...	History of Women in Rotary	2020-11-05 06:00:00Z