Rotary Club of Houma Foundation
The Rotary Club of Houma Foundation was founded on January 8, 2008 when it received its IRS 501c3 charitable exemption. The Foundation was started to support the charitable projects of the Rotary Club of Houma. The Rotary Club of Houma Foundation can prioritize projects and align them to respond immediately to the needs of our community. The Foundation works in line with the service initiatives developed by the Houma Rotary Club of Houma and administers scholarships to our young leaders.
Projects Funded through the Foundation
Click each box to learn more.
Scholarships
Houma Rotary Foundation offers multiple scholarships local students:
- Rotary Interact Scholarship
- One $1,000 scholarship
- Open to HLB Interact students only
- Click here for 2024 Interact Scholarship Application
- Deadline: Extended to April 15, 2024
- Sybil D. Webb Service Above Self Scholarship
- Five $1,000 scholarships
- Open to seniors at EMHS, THS, HLB, STHS, VCHS
- Click here for 2024 Service Above Self Scholarship
- Deadline: April 15, 2024
- Nicholls State University Scholarship
- One $1,000 scholarship to Nicholls
- Awarded to a graduate of a Terrebonne Parish High School who will be a freshman in the fall semester following graduation. The student must be enrolled full-time or plan to enroll full-time at Nicholls State University for the fall semester proceeding graduation. The award will be given to a student who has participated in community service activities, whether through service organizations in high school or on their own initiative. The service performed should reflect the motto of the Rotary Club – “Service Above Self.” The applicant must supply the Scholarship Office with a completed high school resume.
- Email brandy.stpierre@nicholls.edu for an application or pick one up at the Scholarships Office.
- Deadline: April 12, 2024
- More information: https://www.nicholls.edu/financial-aid/scholarships/current-scholarships/
- Fletcher Technical Community College Scholarship
- One $1,000 scholarship to Fletcher
- Applicants selected for this scholarship can be pursuing any degree. Requirements: 2.5 GPA, full-time student, US Citizen, resident of Terrebonne Parish. Please include the types of community service you have provided in your application. Award information: $500 in the Fall and $500 in the Spring, awarded to one student. Note: All requirements must be maintained to earn the Spring award.
- Deadline: July 1, October 1, January 1, March 1
- More information & to apply (Select “General Scholarships”): https://www.fletcher.edu/financial-aid/types-of-financial-aid/scholarships
Youth Initiatives
The Foundation funds and supports several Early Act Clubs & Interact Clubs in our community. Each year we recognize the leadership in each of the youth clubs. Currently, the Foundation supports four schools in our Parish.
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- Mulberry Elementary
- Coteau Bayou Blue Elementary
- St. Matthew’s Episcopal School
- HL Bourgeois High School
The club also sponsors the Interact Scholarship where $1000 is granted to a deserving high school senior. In addition, the Foundation funds several students to attend the Interact Conference every year.
Camp RYLA
The Foundation supports sending 4 local high school students to Leadership Camp, whereby these young men and women spend 4 days in a challenging program of discussions, inspirational addresses, leadership training and social activities designed to enhance personal development, leadership skills and good citizenship.
Food Bank
In 2019, the Foundation donated $10,000 from individual donations and matching grants.
Veteran’s Projects
Our Veteran Project includes the creation of starter kits for Homeless Veterans in our community as they embark on a fresh start on life. We have partnered with the START Corporation as they provide housing, medical care, and job opportunities to these Veterans that have been living on the streets.
In an effort to continue its mission of assisting veterans, the Rotary Club of Houma (through its local foundation Houma Rotary Foundation) coordinated ditty bags to be given to participating veterans. Five additional local Rotary Clubs helped us with this endeavor. The Wounded War Heroes (WWH) was founded to show appreciation to the men and women who have been wounded or injured as a result of serving our country by providing them therapeutic outdoor experiences upon their return home from fighting our country.
Hurricane Relief
Following Hurricane Ida in 2021, the Foundation collected $12,000 and contributed an additional $5,000 in donations for local hurricane relief efforts.
With these funds, the Rotary Club of Houma:
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- Cooked and served 1,000+ meals to bayou areas
- Handed out hundreds of supplies (cleaning supplies, fans, hygiene products, etc.)
- Purchased and distributed 459 storage containers ($7,000) to Pointe Aux Chenes, Dularge, Dulac, East Houma We teamed up with The Helio Foundation with this project and they also handed out 400+ so in total we delivered 850+ to community.
- Volunteered with other local Rotary clubs and organizations to serve additional meals throughout parish (5,000+ meals).
- $250+ to JA of Houma to help make bags filled with hygiene items, food, cleaning supplies, etc. JA delivered 75+ bags to bayou areas, 25 of which were for Grand Caillou Elementary students who needed hygiene items to return to school.
- $2,000 donation to Terrebonne Foundation for Academic Excellence to “Adopt A Classroom” and provide school supplies.
- $2,000 donation to Houma-Thibodaux Diocese to “Adopt A Classroom” and provide school supplies.
- $2,000 donation to Foursquare Anchor Church in Dulac to help provide Thanksgiving meal to residents.
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International Projects
The Foundation has recently supported these International Rotary efforts:
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- Haiti Water Project
- Wheelchair Project $2,700
Current Board Members:
Cal McKey, Foundation President
Morgan Allison, Club President
Craig Hebert
Derek Chaisson
Jerry Ledet
Leslie Waalk
Pete Benoit
Our founding Board members included:
Jodie Teuton
Warren Cooke
Daniel Doiron
Brenda Faucheux
Dale Thompson Sr.
Miles Forrest
William Foster
Darrin Guidry
Melanie Hotard
Jude Laperouse
Travis Lavigne
Bubba Watkins
Thomas Whitney