ABTRF The Rotary Foundation in Brazil

There is no difference between ABTRF (Associação Brasileira da The Rotary Foundation) and The Rotary Foundation because they are the same entity.

Amalgamated in the same ideal, providing the same benefits of subsidizing projects, unity is provided. In relation to ABTRF the projects granted by the Rotary Foundation in Brazil are also rendering humanitarian services and reinforcing the studies of young professsionals and promoting peace and understanding. But there is something more that we acquired with the creation of ABTRF. A new window of opportunities was opened to obtain contributions of public and private companies resident in Brazil, giving them recognition and legal fiscal receipts and benefits.

These enterprises that have clear view of their social responsibility have at their disposal a reliable and safe form to exercise it, by coupling with Rotary. They can then count on with our reliability, internationality and ubiquity provided by our multitude of clubs.

The partnership that we can envision with these companies is not for just one intervention or just one project. It must be planned to last. Need to be planned to render conspicuous enhancement of common values and perspectives of sustainability that guarantee the perpetuity of this relationship. An example is the case of the insurance company Porto Seguro, whose highest level managing board had the initiative to give up part of their revenue to be put to work by Rotary clubs in Brazil.

What we also have to offer is reliability and added value. Rotary is well known by the community through its completed projects, offers credibility in its determination in putting any invested cent in a project execution and which are deeded with absolute seriousness and probity. The most recent example was the financial contribution of Brazilian Mercedes Benz trough ABTRF (understood also as the Rotary Foundation) to be used to reduce the community suffering of the community of Chile, after the earthquake that stroke that brother country. It was a girl from Rotaract in Brazil that promoted this participation, by recommending Rotary to the Board of Mercedes Benz, as a road and a partner to exercise the reliable use of the available money. This action also shows the positive participation of our partners in service. The joint value allowed by our Foundation to a company that invests in partnership with Rotary is recognized by all of them while providing together a humanitarian and humanizing effort.

Something that is important to mention, is the possibility of participation through the ABTRF, of contributions of companies managed or owned in particular by Rotarians or even by non Rotarians that understand Rotary’s work. To these leaders there is no need to explain the exemplar support given, by the correct use of their contributions. The institutional support is also the dynamic capacity to live a legacy acquired by these companies that with their contribution receive the honorific title of Citizens Enterprise.

Rotarians through their leadership have access to a great number of companies that could join us and partner with Rotary’s Object. Maybe with a pilot project of acquisition of new members that could be called “Enterprise Partner” or some other similar name, we could open a new field to test a more straight forward participation in Rotary’s action of these enterprises. Clubs involved will validate the

effectiveness of this idea that could be materialized through initiatives approved by a Council on Legislation.

It is absolutely necessary the engagement of all Rotarians and their clubs to the growth of our actions. There is a lot more to do and ABTRF will continue to be a pillar of this effort and a source of synergy to the institutional investor in community services.

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