FOUNDATION MINUTE: OCTOBER 26, 2026.
Welcome to Week FOUR of RI’s Month of Economic & Community Development.
In recognition of October 24 as World Polio Day, TRF’s trustee chair, Jennifer Jones calls on Rotarians the world over to meet ongoing instabilities with the quintessential “quiet superpower” of Rotary. In her current message published in the October issue of The Rotary, Rotarian Jones reiterates “being a rock is Rotary’s quiet superpower, and with this year’s instability we’ve been reminded how much that matters. Families face displacement, communities navigate climate shocks, and humanitarian needs arise both close to home and across the places we serve. These realities touch us. Yet even as the world shifts, Rotary’s response remains steady, compassionate, and effective. We don’t turn away from uncertainty — we meet it with purpose. The Rotary Foundation was not built for fair weather. Over the last decade, we have strengthened our approach: weaving sustainability into every project, expanding partnerships, and embracing evidence-based solutions. This evolution has made us more resilient and more community-driven. It’s why our comprehensive goal of raising $500 million across the Annual Fund, Endowment Fund, and PolioPlus Fund is not only ambitious but achievable. We’ve proved before that we could reach it, and momentum is building again… Nowhere is this dedication more evident than in our work to end polio. Last month, I asked you to reflect on your club’s role in this historic effort, and many of you responded with renewed energy and generosity. Polio cases are down more than 99 percent since Rotary began this fight, a testament to the health workers, volunteers, and members who kept vaccinating children through wars, border closures, and every imaginable obstacle. They didn’t know how the story would end. They knew who they were, and they kept going. That is our inspiration in this moment. When the ground feels unsteady, Rotary becomes the stable ground. When plans shift, we are the partner who responds. When the path forward is unclear, our strength of self becomes our compass.”
In Rotary,
Olabisi Gwamna, PhD
Mount Pleasant Evening Rotary
Editor, Foundation Minute.