June is dedicated to Maternal and Child Health. Internationally, Rotary promotes community health workers, neonatal care, vaccines, and addresses issues like clubbed feet. Locally, the Rotary Club of Lake Forest-Lake Bluff concentrates on addressing the basic needs of children and their families.
The Rotary Club of Lake Forest-Lake Bluff packages food for families. To support local families, we pack apples, onions, potatoes, or other foods at Northern Illinois Food Bank quarterly; and one of our members volunteers weekly. To support families abroad, we pack rice-soy-vegetable meals at Feed My Starving Children (FMSC).
The Rotary Club of Lake Forest-Lake Bluff delivers food to local children and families. Once a month, club members deliver food from Fill a Heat 4 Kids (FH4K) to kids at schools across Waukegan. This is part of a weekly effort by FH4K to make sure kids have enough food to make it through each weekend. On occasion, we also help deliver food to families throughout Highland Park and Highwood for Service and Learning Together (SaLT).
Our signature project each year is providing warm coats to kids throughout Waukegan and North Chicago. In 2025, the Rotary Club of Lake Forest-Lake Bluff delivered almost 1000 coats to kids in need. We are one of many Rotary Clubs in our Northeastern Illinois District delivering coats throughout 5 counties. Last holiday season, thanks to a member’s connection to a toy factory, we also delivered 14 cases of toys to Toys for Tots.
We support local organizations providing housing and other basic needs. Mothers Trust Foundation helps with immediate needs including rent, utilities, enrichment, clothing, baby items, and essential household items. The Lake County Haven helps women with transitional housing during difficult situations. Habitat for Humanity helps families build safe and affordable homes.
More recently, the Rotary Club of Lake Forest-Lake Bluff has begun to support projects providing emotional support to kids. The Art Impact Project combines “art-making with safe, nonjudgmental support in group settings.” The Four Kids Foundation addresses loneliness and disconnection by fostering intergenerational relationships at programs like GameBridge, regular community get-togethers for playing games.
To learn more about what Rotary does internationally to support Maternal and Child Heath, check out rotaryserviceblog.org/category/rotarys-areas-of-focus/maternal-child-health. If you are interested in learning more about Rotary and accomplishing more together, please email us at info@lflbrotary.org.