Disaster Relief Fund (DRF)

Tall green trees on both sides of the riverbank reflect on the water on a sunny day on the Willamette River.

district in pictures

A sunny day on the Willamette River in Eugene, OR

Photo by Heather M. Edwards

The Phoenix-Talent Fire consumed over 2500 homes, 1600 vehicles and luckily (but sadly) only two lives were lost over a period of just 8 hours of severe, dry winds. Rotary used disaster relief funds to put people back to work with a retooling grant in partnership with Ace Hardware. These funds were made possible by the RI Disaster Relief Fund but was limited to just $25,000.

Echo Mtn Fire outside of Lincoln City decimated a small community, consuming 350 homes and leaving survivors without the tools they needed to continue to work or clean up their property. The Rotary Cub of Lincoln City in partnership with Ace Hardware used disaster relief funds to help over 50 people regain some dignity for their family.

Rotary District 5110 Disaster Relief Fund (DRF)

district program

This Rotary year 2026-27 we are pleased to unveil a newly approved charitable foundation: the Rotary District 5110 Disaster Relief Fund (DRF) a 501(c)3 fund, whose purpose is dedicated to short- and long-term recovery for individuals who have suffered from natural or other disasters within our Rotary District.

More About Disaster Relief Fund (DRF)

Disasters like the 2020 Labor Day fires consumed just over 1.2 million acres in Oregon. This largely took place in District 5110. This year, and for many years hence, we will now be able to quickly receive tax-deductible donations to our Disaster Relief Fund and administer aid as quickly as the needs arise.

The DRF will focus on helping any individual or business that is adversely affected by a disaster, including Rotarians. In the past, through a patchwork of funding sources, we funded multiple types of projects including: putting people back to work with mini re-tooling grants, small business loans, food and personal supplies for Red Cross shelters, Christmas hams in Roseburg, Christmas BBQ’s & Santa for kids in Blue River, driveway construction funds, deck and stairway construction funds, hearing aid replacements, temporary medical clinic equipment and landscaping, mental health camps for kids, and riparian reforestation.

The DRF will be governed by a Board of Directors made up of Rotarians from around four regions of our District that have had direct experience with disaster relief, preparedness, and public relations. You can help by helping us build a reserve fund now. Just click the DONATE button above and follow the instructions provided. Thank you for your interest and generosity.

For more information, please contact PDG Cindi O’Neil.