FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

Contacts:
Andrew Keating, Director of Communications, 406.657.1104, media@rocky.edu
Jill Washburn, Community Services Coordinator, 406.238.7394, jillwashburn@rocky.edu

Rocky Mountain College Receives Rotary Club Grant

BILLINGS, May 11, 2017 — Rocky Mountain College’s Office of Community Engagement will be distributing health kits to students in need at Rose Park Elementary students thanks to a $400 grant from the Billings Downtown Rotary Club.

While RMC’s Office of Community Engagement has a number of on-going projects with Rose Park, this new initiative will provide basic personal hygiene related items distributed in the form of health kits to the students.

“We are looking at this holistically in that this grant is an offshoot of our Partner in Education programming with Rose Park Elementary School,” said Jill Washburn, RMC community services coordinator. “Currently our programming encompasses ‘Tobacco Free’ as well as food drives, mentoring, and literacy events so the inclusion of hygiene kits is a natural fit.”

And while the kits provide some basic necessities to those in need, they can also be used as learning tools in personal hygiene, literacy, and nutrition.

“Educating elementary-age students about how overall wellness can contribute to success in the classroom and long-term goals will hopefully be the outcome,” Washburn added.

In addition, the kits are not just about fulfilling an identified need but to educate Rocky students about socioeconomic issues that are present in our community, Washburn explained.

“With having so many students who want to work with youth as part of their academic and career goals, the grant is helping to provide framework for educating them about real-life situations that they will encounter in the classroom or setting in their chosen field,” she said.

Throughout the summer RMC will be working with Rose Park to develop a long-term plan to have more kits available as needed. For those interested in helping to volunteer to make kits or make a donation to sponsor kits, please visit: http://rocky.edu/student-life/career-services/community-service/RotaryGrant.php.

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