Since its establishment in 1929, the Bristol Rotary Club's mission has been to support the charitable needs of the local community. In 2014, in order to increase its ability to provide financial support to serve the many local charitable projects, the Club created the Bristol Rotary’s Charities Foundation which was given a “public charity (501(c)(3)” designation from the IRS. That approval allowed the Club to give tax deductions for any donations and fundraisers which subsequently increased funds available and its scope of giving. Every year the amount of donations made grew. 2025 became a record year when the Rotary Club of Bristol was able to donate over $107,000 to more than 30 local charities and to some international projects of those local charities.
Some highlights of Rotary’s special fiscal year (7/2024 to 6/2025) are: The Bristol Rotary became the top donor to The Autism Project’s annual Imagine Walk fundraiser for families affected by autism spectrum disorders by donating $15,000 to the Walk. In the summer and Fall, Rotary ran a “Dinner for 2 Anywhere in the World” trip contest that raised $28,000. Its proceeds were designated to support organizations combating food insecurities, and was evenly split between East Bay Food Pantry & Thrift Shop and Friends of St. Elizabeth’s Food Pantry. Upon return, the winner of the trip was quoted as saying, “The trip was wonderful! It was a trip I will never forget!”
In the Spring, funds were raised to provide over $16,000 in financial support for students graduating from high school and for the Bristol Rotary Scholarship Fund at Roger Williams University. Coincidently, 2025 is the 40th year anniversary of the Fund at Roger Williams.
During the recent 250th Anniversary of the Battle of Bristol in 1775, Bristol Rotary was pleased to fund 3,000 tickets for all students in the Bristol Warren Regional School District to tour the tall ship in the historical reenactment, docked at the Herreshoff Museum.
In addition, some samples of other organizations among the 30 receiving donations are: The Women’s Resource Center, the DECA Team at Mount Hope High School, Multitude Ministries for the homeless, Friends of Bristol Animal Shelter, Parents as Teachers (Looking Upwards), Food Gift cards at Thanksgiving and Christmas for Benjamin Church Senior Center and Franklin Court Independent Living, HEZ Student Needs Projects at Kickemuit and Mt. Hope schools, Bristol/Warren Village supporting seniors with home care, and, through local charities, orphanages in the Azores and Haiti, and many more.
Over the years and through major impacts to our community, such as Covid, Bristol Rotary has evolved from a hands-on field organization, running an occasional food drive, to one that provides financial donations to organizations that have the special or unique expertise to help the people they support. Rotary’s membership is comprised of business leaders and local professionals who donate their personal time and sometimes their money to the Club’s charitable objectives. Internally, the membership’s motto is “Service Above Self” or, contribute to the community of yourself in addition to what your job contributes. Bristol Rotary volunteer members are self-motivated, unpaid and have supported the community in Bristol now for 96 years. The motto for Bristol Rotary’s charitable objectives is “Help us Help Others.” As the previous information has attempted to show, tax deductible donations to its Foundation and fundraisers have helped Bristol Rotary to highlight and provide financial support to the needs of many more local charities and projects.
To Help us Help Others, please visit the Bristol Rotary website at “bristolrotaryclub.com.” An application to request a charitable donation from Bristol Rotary can also be found on the website.