Charitable Giving

The proposals for funding  for 2026  through the  Rotary Club of Lexington Charitable Fund has closed. Applications will be notified in July of the status of their proposal.

Thank you to all the non-profits that applied for funding for the outstanding work they do in our community.

Scholarship Program

The Rotary Club of Lexington awarded scholarships to Fayette County, KY, top-performing high school seniors based on outstanding academic achievement, extracurricular activities, and community service in the spring of 2026. Congratulations to all who received funding.

The Rotary Club of Lexington scholarship applications will be available in the spring of 2027.

God’s Pantry & Food for Families

Backpack Program:

Every month during the Fayette County school year, several members of the Rotary Club of Lexington donate their time to volunteer at God’s Pantry to help pack and deliver backpacks with packaged foods and groceries for children facing food insecurity.  Each month, members prepare and pack backpacks full of prepared meals that are catered to the students’ ethnic and religious diets. With the service conducted at God’s Pantry and Food for Families initiative, the Rotary Club of Lexington packs and delivers over 3,800 backpacks of packaged food and groceries for children each year.

Food for Families:

“Food for Families is a project that provides nutritional food items to Northern Elementary students and their families during each school year.  Our committee, made up of 13 energetic and committed Rotarians,  procures, sorts, and distributes or delivers groceries once each month to folks who struggle with food insecurity at Northern Elementary School.
Please contact Harry Richart (harrytrichart@gmail.com) if you would like more information and/or wish to get involved.”

Pollinator Garden

One of our most vibrant initiatives is our club’s pollinator garden. Rotary Club of Lexington partnered with LFUCG Parks & Recreation to bring pollinators back into Lexington’s public parks. The members of Rotary Club of Lexington are responsible for cultivating and maintaining a 0.8-acre linear pollinator garden which includes over 40 species of native plants. The garden is located at Kenawood Park, 612 Bryanwood Parkway, Lexington, KY 40505.

Coats for Kids

Coats for Kids is one of the longest running programs for the Rotary Club of Lexington.

The Rotary Club of Lexington has been providing coats for Fayette County Public School (FCPS) children since 1996.

Working with FCPS resource counselors the students are identified and provided the much-needed coat. Often, it’s found that younger siblings are also given a coat. These are new coats purchased each year with a list of needed sizes. While there are other organizations that help clothe members  of  our community, working directly with FCPS, we found that we reach a population that covers students/families in the whole county that are already identified as at-risk. This ensures that the coats go directly to the young people that need them!

Taking care of at risk youth is fundamental to ensure they have a chance to grow and learn, just like any other kid. It has been proven that making sure a student is fed and clothed promotes learning . The students can focus on academics when they don’t have to worry about basic human

Quote from Monica Hall, Resource Counselor, Booker T. Washington:

“We take for granted something as simple as a coat. However, these coats are a blessing to so many students and puts so many smiles on their faces.”

RYLA

Every year, our club members host the Rotary Youth Leadership Awards (RYLA) for students in Fayette County and surrounding areas. RYLA is an intensive leadership experience where students develop skills as a leader while having fun and making connections. Students connect with Rotarians to:

  • Build communication and problem-solving skills
  • Discover strategies for becoming a dynamic leader in your school or community
  • Learn from community leaders, inspirational speakers, and peer mentors
  • Unlock your potential to turn motivation into action
  • Have fun and form lasting friendships