Local Rotarians help donate 2,000 books to Ukrainian refugee children in Chicago schools

When Local Rotarians attending the District 6420 conference in DeKalb on November 5 learned of the influx of Ukrainian refugee children to two Chicago schools, they decided to help out.

The help has since resulted in two schools in the Ukrainian Village receiving 1,000 new books each. These Ukrainian Village neighborhood schools with pre-K to eighth grade age students have experienced nearly a 40% increase in enrollment from families fleeing the war in Ukraine.

Rotary Club members who were gathered for the 2022-2023 District Conference, together donated $10,000 worth of new books in a one-day fundraising event for the two schools.

Usborne Books and More matched the gift with an additional $5,000 of new books bringing the total fundraising event to $15,000 in new books.

Rotary District 6420 and Rotary International leadership delivered 1,000 books to each of the two schools on November 28.

“I am grateful for the generosity of our Rotary Club members who made this possible in a single day,“ District 6420 Governor Laura Kann of Princeton said.

Rotary is an international organization of business and professional persons united to provide humanitarian service, encourage high ethical standards in all vocations and help build goodwill and peace in the world.

Rotary District 6420 is made up of 43 Rotary Clubs located in northwest Illinois. The total membership is more than 1,400. Rotary Club of Princeton was founded in 1920. Joe Kitchens is currently serving as the 2022-2023 Club President.