While not as prominent as its older, more public facing cousin, the Dowagiac Rotary Charitable Foundation continues to make strides in the local community.

President Larry Crandall spoke to his fellow Rotarians about the organization during its regular luncheon meeting Thursday. He and his fellow board members laid out the inner workings of the organization, which is responsible for donating money to causes both here and abroad.

Founded in 1998, the foundation provides Rotary members and friends with greater opportunities to provide funding to worthwhile projects, Crandall said. Among the projects that have received money from the nonprofit include the emergency room expansion at Borgess Lee Memorial Hospital, the Cass County Council on Aging and the Dogwood Fine Arts Festival.

“We don’t limit ourselves to just local causes,” Crandall said. “Sometimes there is a request for something overseas.”

For example, the foundation has donated money in the past to Rotary International’s ongoing Polio Eradication Project, which has had over a billion dollars spent on the fight since it began in 1979.

Organizations or people interested in having the foundation contribute to them must complete an application, which is then brought forward to the foundation board. The board itself meets four times a year, with each member serving four-year terms.

At the moment, the foundation has $54,000 at their disposal for the distribution, Crandall said. They raise additional funds through gifts from fellow Rotary members.

“Our funds are not unlimited,” Crandall said. “We really don’t have as much money as we would like to have. That’s probably true for any charitable organization.”

Despite being around for over 15 years, many in the local community, including several Rotarians in the room that afternoon, are still unaware of the foundation’s efforts.

“We really have a unique thing, but we probably don’t do as well as we could or should in advertising [it],” Crandall said.

With plenty of good causes still left to contribute too, Crandall encouraged the members of the club to make a donation to further demonstrate their commitment to “Service Above Self.”

“It’s a good organization with good people trying to do their part to help better our community and our world,” he said.