The project to assist financially strapped large families was initially set up with funds contributed by the Ottawa Rotary Club and our club. Honorary Rotarians, the Ottesens, added funds to the project as did the American Chamber of Commerce Estonia.

A Committee was formed in July, 2009 and its members made a two-day fact-finding trip to Valga County, one of the more economically depressed areas in Estonia. As a result, the Committee’s recommendation to the Club was to assist seven families in greatest need and it was approved. Assistance was in the form of footwear purchased by the Club for a total of 42 children in these families. In addition, another family consisting of a single unemployed mother with three children was provided with school supplies. In October, two of the Committee members visited two needy large families (total of 14 children) in Rapla County. As a result of this action a third family in the County received assistance, making a total of 17 children being provided with footwear and in the case of one family, an unemployed mother with eight children, potatoes and winter jackets for the two boys were delivered.

The plans are to expand the project into the economically depressed area of south- and northeastern part of the country. Recently the Ottawa Club contributed additional funds and our own Club has designated the proceeds from the Spring Ball 2010 for this project.