What do Kirkland’s Dakshin Indian Bistro, Gunnar Nordstrom Gallery, Casa Ricardo’s, Claire’s Nails, and Bombaii Hair Cutters all have in common?  They’re all recipients of grants from the Kirkland Small Business Relief Fund, one of the hometown investment priorities of Kirkland’s Rotary Clubs.
 
Owners of these businesses, including JP Shetty of Dakshin, Gunnar Nordstrom, and Jovana Rodriguez of Ricardo’s, readily express great appreciation for unrestricted grants that have helped them to pay rent or utilities during a time that income came to a screeching halt.  Many Kirkland business like these have either been completely shut down, or have been operating on a very limited capacity since March.  And more help is on the way.
 
In the spirit of "Service Above Self", the Rotary Clubs of Kirkland presented the Kirkland Chamber Foundation a $12,500 contribution to support the Kirkland Small Business Relief Fund.  The Fund was created by the Kirkland Chamber Foundation, the charitable arm of the Greater Kirkland Chamber of Commerce, to help small businesses and small non-profits survive the required closures caused by the spread of the novel coronavirus in our community.
 
The goal of the Kirkland Small Business Relief fund is to provide immediate relief to Kirkland’s hardest-hit small businesses and small non-profits through unrestricted grants pending the release and distribution of anticipated federal and state aid.  The Fund will continue to organize a series of funding rounds and to disburse money in phases as resources become available.  Funding rounds will distribute available monies in equal amounts to qualifying applicants.
 
Members of Kirkland's two Rotary Clubs, the Rotary Club of Kirkland and the Rotary Club of Kirkland Downtown, rose to the challenge and joined forces to support this worthwhile program.
 
Rotarians are people of action and Rotary has been active in our community since 1937, providing student scholarships, teacher recognition, warm coats for students less fortunate, Miracle League softball for the physically challenged, Reading Buddies for elementary school students, and sponsoring youth service programs aimed at developing young leaders.  Locally, Rotarians are responsible for creating the picnic pavilion at Everest Park, sponsoring summer youth programs, contributing to the pavilion at Waverly Beach, maintaining the Cross Kirkland Corridor, and offering the Rotary Christmas Breakfast and Presents with Santa for less fortunate families.  Rotarians are also building a pavilion, installing a railway signal, and laying railroad tracks to commemorate the Kirkland railway station.
 
To join Rotarians in helping create lasting solutions right here in Kirkland, and across the world through Rotary International, contact the Rotary Club of Kirkland at kirklandrotaryclub@gmail.com or email info@rckd.org at the Rotary Club of Kirkland Downtown.