Past Projects
ABOUT
Each year, Interact District 5170 dedicates itself to one International and one Community Project. In order to raise money toward’s the International Project, the 13 Areas as well as the individual Interact clubs hold fundraisers and other awareness events. The Community Project focuses on creating local service opportunities that revolve around the project’s theme.
INTERNATIONAL PROJECTS
2018 – 2019
Lead By Issabella Romo
Aiding Venezuelan youth and advocating for the Latinx community
2017 – 2018
Lead By Alexander Torres &
Tsegenet Awoke
Providing sustenance and education
2013 – 2014
Lead By Mariko Stenstedt
Providing solar technologies in third world countries
2012 – 2013
Lead By Ben Shea & Jamie Lam
Providing educational opportunities to children in developing countries
COMMUNITY PROJECTS
2018-2019
Lead By Cristina Phan
2017 – 2018
Lead By Alexander Torres &
Tsegenet Awoke
2014 – 2015
Lead By Daniel Chan
2012 – 2013
Lead By Chris Meszaros &
Emily Le
ME THE HUMAN
INTERNATIONAL PROJECT (2016 - 2017)
THE PROBLEM AT HAND
The Syrian Refugee crisis, the biggest humanitarian and refugee crisis of our time. Driven out of their home country Syria, men, women and children are forced out of their homes due to outbreak of civil war and conflict. In search for a new home, Syrian Refugees try their best to rebuild their lives that has been shattered. Yet they run into many obstacles along the way which lead to high numbers of deaths, separation of families, and loss of hope.
WHY ME THE HUMAN?
Me The Human. Often, we forget this in the midst of our everyday life. We forget the simple concept that we are human, the ones we know, and the ones we don’t. Bringing it back to the very root of who are, and why are we helping others will help us further serving and loving others without borders. On the other hand, refugees are dehumanized everywhere you go and a lot of this shown on the media. They are being dehumanized because of the stereotypes that lie around refugees and the fear of not knowing who they are. In an interview with a Syrian Refugee, she states, “We ask for humanity-for people to treat us like human beings”. We see pictures and videos of the tragedies that Syrian Refugees go through, but we only see it. It’s often hard to listen to what they’re saying due to the sorrow and grief that they show, but if we listen closely, you can hear them. Every single thing they say ties back to them saying, “Me! I am a human too!” If we look towards ourselves and say, “Me The Human”, then look around to see others who are saying the same thing, we can recognize ourselves as a human and then others as humans too, bringing us together on a common ground. Why are we fighting so hard for Syrian refugees? It’s because we are humans, and so are they.
PARTNERING ORGANIZATIONS
CIRCLE OF LOVE
COMMUNITY PROJECT (2016 - 2017)
PROBLEM AT HAND
We are going to recognize the importance our value and self-worth by expanding on the idea of service. Spreading awareness on mental health, accepting our own flaws, loving ourselves, and being there for a friend, are all ways that Interact will expand on service. And only with that, will we be able to fully serve those with disorders such as Autism, Asperger’s, Down Syndrome, and more. The Bay Area accounts for over 20% of these disorders in CA. The millions who are diagnosed with these disorders and disabilities are 28 times more likely to go through depression than their nondisabled peers. Together, we will break the stigma, the wall, that society has surrounded these disorders with by providing them with HOPE: Harmony, Opportunity, Positivity, Everlasting Support.
HELLO MY NAME IS...
INTERNATIONAL PROJECT (2015 - 2016)
THE PROBLEM AT HAND
Human trafficking: a frightening, but very real issue. The victims are our peers – boys and girls as young as eleven are trafficked across international and local borders and coerced into sexual trafficking and forced labor.
HOW WE HELPED
We created a district-wide movement to raise awareness for this issue and fostering an environment of hope, rather than judgment. This is the hope that we can rebuild lives. This is our hope. The most important step towards changing the situation is understanding it, so not only did we teaching others about the severity and scope of human trafficking, we first thoroughly leared about it ourselves. Interact had guest speakers hosting presentations explaining both the local and international situations and what our next steps were. Through assembling care packages and writing heartfelt notes, we showed those in juvenile halls and medical centers that we openly love and accept them, without judging them for their pasts. As a part of our fight for freedom, we lead days of silence to honor those who have been silenced before us and encourage the general public to learn more about human trafficking. All money fundraiser went towards prevention and protection for all victims and those currently at risk in both Romania and Thailand, providing medical, educational, and life resources so that people can better understand the signs of human trafficking and seek refuge after rescue.
PARTNERING ORGANIZATIONS
UNDER ONE ROOF
COMMUNITY PROJECT (2015 - 2016)
THE PROBLEM AT HAND
100 million people are homeless worldwide, 3.5 million in the United States. There is a very clear stigma surrounding homelessness: “The homeless are all lazy, insane, violent drug addicts.” Data does not support this stigma, yet this blanket thought prevents homeless people from receiving the adequate care they need and deserve, leaving millions trapped in the chronic cycle of homelessness.
HOW WE HELPED
In the year, our district helped to deconstruct this stigma and permeate our community with compassion and love, creating a safe space that all homeless people can call home. We accomplished this through three rays of hope:
BREAKING THE STIGMA through educating ourselves and our community. Attending info sessions to learn the facts about homelessness and what those facts mean for these people in our community, and speaking at Charity Dinners, Benefit shows, school events, service events, etc to start a ripple effect.
PREVENT HOMELESSNESS by providing homes and opportunities for low income families. With the organization Habitat for Humanity, as a district we aimed to construct two homes and volunteer at stores for low-income families called Restores.
AID THOSE IN NEED by volunteering at homeless shelters and soup kitchens, collecting and donating clothes, food, necessities, holding coin drives, distributing care packages,and more.
HOME SWEET HOME
INTERNATIONAL PROJECT (2014 - 2015)
THE PROBLEM AT HAND
We are lucky to have a place we call home. However, for the 3 billion people in the world who live on less than $2.50 per day, they don’t have the things we all may take for granted. Interact District 5170, we can change this. We are the agents to eradicating poverty. This is why we’ve partnered up with Free the Children and their Adopt a Village Program. We can help break the cycle of poverty in the Kenya’s Mwangaza community, a village that has had a history of drought and famine, most recently suffering from both in 2007 and 2011.
HOW WE HELPED
We fundraised a total of $141,000 and provided numerous community clinics, first aid training, health clubs, women’s empowerment groups, income generation projects that will jump-start business, and so many more in Kenya. As a result, Kenyan families will finally be able to sustain their lives at home and say “Home Sweet Home.
PARTNERING ORGANIZATIONS
OPEN HEARTS OPEN ARMS
COMMUNITY PROJECT (2014-2015)
THE PROBLEM AT HAND
Open Heart, Open Arms is our Community Project for the 2014-2015 year. Together, we as Interactors will empower the youth towards individual and academic success by way of three pillars: FOOD, EDUCATION, and FELLOWSHIP. 16 million children in America struggle with hunger, 1 in 4 children grow up not knowing how to read, and 77% of students are bullied physically or verbally. Interactors will do something to help students to succeed and stop bullying. The hourly goal for 2014-2015 is set at 85,000 hours dedicated to serving our communities district wide.
HOW WE HELPED
Interactors built a strong foundation for children by fulfilling the basic needs of food, nurture children through tutoring programs, and simply being a friend. This is how Interact helped stop bullying and make sure every child has access to education.
THE ANSWER IS THE SUN
INTERNATIONAL PROJECT (2013-2014)
THE PROBLEM AT HAND
We live in a world dependent on fossil fuel usage. Fossil fuels, however, are not only hazardous causing pollution and global warming, but they are limited: we will run out within the next couple of decades. Our goal with our 2013-2014 International Project, The Answer is the Sun, is to provide people in third world countries with solar technologies so that they can avoid fossil fuel usage and leapfrog directly to solar. Working with Trust in Education, Interact plans on sending 5,170 solar cookits (ovens), each one stamped with the District 5170 logo, to refugee families in Afghanistan. It cost $15 to send a cookit and a Wapi, which a water pasteurizer, to Afghanistan. $15 for us, yet a good 40 cents a day are saved for these families who are trying to get by on a daily budget of $1 or less. Not only are we giving them the tools for a sustainable, cheaper form of energy but we are also saving the families in Afghanistan from the hazardous effects of the wood fires which they currently use to cook. 2 million deaths a year are caused by smoke inhalation, mainly women and children. We are putting a new twist on the International Project. Every Interactor will have a chance to create these cookits, the exact ones which we are sending to Afghanistan, at one of the multiple building workshops which we will have throughout the year. Hopefully, with the hands on element, Interactors will understand the importance and the value of the gift which we are sending. $77,550. 5,170 cookits.
HOW WE HELPED
From 2013 – 2014 we have accomplished many things with this project. By holding various fundraisers, Interactors from across the district understood the importance of coming together for this crucial cause. Throughout the year, Interactors were also lucky to be able to participate in cook-it building workshops in which they were able to work hands-on with The Answer is the Sun. We raised over $90,000 and sent over 6000 cookits to Afghanistan! Congratulations District 5170!
PARTNERING ORGANIZATIONS
HEART
COMMUNITY PROJECT (2013-2014)
THE PROBLEM AT HAND
For this upcoming year, Interactors will take on the Community Project HEART. HEART stands for, “Hope, Empowerment, Through our Hearts.” One of the purposes of the 2013-2014 project HEART is to dive deeper into Interact and Rotary International’s motto “Service above Self” and to spread hope and empowerment to the unique, resonating issues Interactors are compelled to act towards in their communities. Not only that, Interactors will be encouraged to discover and pursue causes they are passionate about in their community. The events will be dynamic, and will unify all of the clubs in the District as one family with one goal: service. The hourly goal for 2013-2014 is set at 75,000 hours dedicated to serving our communities district wide.
HOW WE HELPED
HEART’s mission is to ultimately empower and deliver hope to Interactors as well as those in their individual communities within District 5170. Interactors will be encouraged to not only recognize their altruistic sides but also to embrace an altruistic nature that will influence actions and decisions. Through this, Interactors are inspired to tackle existing issues that hit our communities at home.
LIFE, LOVE, LITERACY
INTERNATIONAL PROJECT (2012-2013)
ABOUT THE PROJECT
Two years ago, Interact District 5170 focused on education not only at an international level, but also at its local, community level. Through the project Save Our Schools, Interactors aspired to give back to the institutions that are the main contributors to today’s youth education. Many of us often overlook the value of education and the opportunities that it presents to us. In order to directly show appreciation to our local schools, Interactors created projects such as “Operation Beautiful,” established tutoring programs, hosted teacher and staff appreciation events, organized campus clean-ups, and led many other events that were ultimately beneficial to our schools’ communities.
PARTNERING ORGANIZATIONS
SAVE OUR SCHOOLS
COMMUNITY PROJECT (2012-2013)
ABOUT THE PROJECT
Historically, Interact’s projects usually consist of one international project and one community project. However, when the DC board of 2011-2012 narrowed down the large list of organizations to sponsor, it became apparent that there were two great causes that DC wanted to support. Mary’s Meals, and the Firelight Foundation. Instead of choosing one project to support, the DC board of 2011-2012 decided for the first time to support 2 organizations. When this was revealed to everyone at FLC, Interactors all around District 5170 became ecstatic and started to think of many creative ways to accomplish the goal.
FREE THE YOUTH
INTERNATIONAL PROJECT (2011-2012)
THE PROBLEM AT HAND
Free the Youth was the 2011-2012 International Project for District 5170. The proceeds went to two organizations: Mary’s Meals and Firelight Foundation. Mary’s Meals is an international movement that sets up school feeding projects in communities where poverty and hunger prevent children from gaining an education. Firelight Foundation’s mission is to improve the well being of children who are vulnerable to HIV, AIDS and poverty in sub-Saharan Africa. Firelight mainly works with grass root organizations that help families and communities meet the needs of their children. This year we raised the most from ever before of $120,000 for the project.
HOW WE HELPED
Mary’s Meals is an international movement to set up school feeding projects in communities where poverty and hunger prevent children from gaining an education. Mary’s Meals was started in 2002 as a school feeding program for students with insufficient amounts of food, but it quickly grew and today it serves over 790,000 hungry children in impoverished areas of Africa, Asia, the Caribbean, Eastern Europe and South America.
PARTNERING ORGANIZATIONS
GO GREEN
COMMUNITY PROJECT (2011-2012)
ABOUT THE PROJECT
Our goal and vision for the second year of the Community Project was to build upon the campaigns we had already begun last year while branching out into new avenues of service, such as improving the environment. We gained 51,000 active members who recurrently attended events and meetings and contributed at least 12 hours of service per semester. Overall, we accomplished 75,000 hours of community service hours, donated 30,000 pounds of food, and reduced 2,000 pounds of trash.
SHELTERBOX
INTERNATIONAL PROJECT (2010-2011)
ABOUT THE PROJECT
Shelterbox was the 2010-2011 International Project for District 5170. Our Interactors chose to support ShelterBox after the iconic green box was unveiled at our annual Fall Leadership Conference, where more than 1700 students filled a gymnasium. Our district, made of 13 areas and 97 clubs, hosted a variety of events that benefited ShelterBox—from talent shows and movie nights to bake sales, ice cream socials and even creating t-shirts. ShelterBox has given every single Interactor in Interact 5170 the opportunity to give hope and aid to those who need it most. We have been able to literally ‘build communities’ overseas and ‘bridge continents’ with the two greatest gifts of all—Interact love and a ShelterBox. Our interact family raised over $102,000 for this project.
WHAT IS SHELTERBOX?
Shelterbox constantly delivers assistance to those who need shelter including those in natural disasters. Each green ShelterBox is tailored to a disaster but typically contains a disaster relief tent for an extended family, blankets, water storage and purification equipment, cooking utensils, a stove, a basic tool kit, a children’s activity pack and other vital items. The contents are tailored depending on the nature and location of the disaster, with great care taken sourcing every item to ensure it is robust enough to be of lasting value.
For more information about Shelterbox please visit: http://www.shelterboxusa.org/index.php
PARTNERING ORGANIZATIONS
HUNGER RELIEF
COMMUNITY PROJECT (2010-2011)
THE PROBLEM AT HAND
Over 16,000 children die from hunger related diseases daily. 1 out of 4 people in San Mateo and Santa Clara counties are at risk for hunger (which is a very high ratio considering that the national average is 1 out of 6 people). Every year, over 36 million meals are distributed to those in need in our district. Without food, children cannot learn and adults cannot perform their jobs as they become at higher risk for death and health problems. Not only is hunger considered the second biggest problem next to poverty, but it is also a large uniting problem within all of our areas.
HOW WE HELPED
For the 2010-2011 school year, Interact District 5170 partnered up with Second Harvest Food Bank and other local organizations to engage youths to give back to the community. Together as Interact District 5170, we accomplished 45,000 community service hours and donated 44,000 pounds of food.
END POLIO NOW
INTERNATIONAL PROJECT (2009-2010)
THE PROBLEM AT HAND
Polio. Many of us do not even know what this disease describes, how severe its symptoms are, and how fearful people are of catching this infectious disease. Polio has killed thousands and crippled even more victims. The fighting victims often suffer from high fever, paralysis, and atrophied muscles.
We have been working for decades to make polio the only disease to be wiped off this earth other than smallpox. Polio has affected 125 countries to date, but only 4 countries remained at the start of 2009: India, Pakistan, Nigeria, and Afghanistan. Just $0.60 can change a life, because just $0.60 is the cost for one vial of polio vaccine. What is a vaccine? A vaccine is a weakened strain of a virus that exposes the human body to disease so that the body will build immunity to the disease before being actually exposed to a malevolent strain of the disease. Volunteers in various countries administered these vaccines for free to children, who now no longer need to fear contracting Polio.
HOW WE HELPED
As a District, we surpassed our goal and raised $80,000 for End Polio Now. As a result, polio has now been eradicated in India! Rotary has vaccinated more than 2 million children through End Polio Now Rotary. We have reduced polio by 99% worldwide since our first efforts.
For more information about End Polio Now, please visit: http://www.endpolio.org/
PARTNERING ORGANIZATIONS
HYDRAID
INTERNATIONAL PROJECT (2008-2009)
ABOUT THE PROJECT
Hydraid is an extremely cost effective solution for providing clean drinking water for those who do not have access to it. To do this, Hydraid uses a combination of diffuser plates, earthly material, filtration sand, separation gravel, and underdrain gravel inside the container to make up for the filtration system. This allows the filter to filter out extremely dirty water, removing up to 99.8% of deadly parasites with a fully formed biolayer without the need of an external power source. We found that Hydraid was not only an extremely effective system, but it also only costs $32 to build such a filtration system, allowing us a great opportunity to make a huge impact in communities without clean water.
HOW WE HELPED
After the project was revealed at FLC, the Interactors of District 5170 were pumped up to help in this cause. All of the Areas in Interact collaborated with each other to come up with unique and effective ways to help not only the community around them, but work together as a team to raise funds to help those without clean water to obtain it. Shirts were sold, dances were created, the communities were involved, friendship and bonds were made, and leaders were created. Through the efforts of the Interact District 5170 family, Interact was able to fund $85,000 for Hydraid, equating to approximately 2660 filters!
PARTNERING ORGANIZATIONS
