POCATELLO — Rotary Helps, a joint project of four local Rotary Clubs, will hold its first collection and distribution event April 10 at

4 p.m., at New Horizon Center gymnasium, 955 W. Alameda Road.

    The purpose is to bring recent donations that help School District 25, Bannock Youth Foundation and Aid for Friends meet critical needs of children and adults in the local area.

    Rotary Helps is a joint project of Pocatello, Gate City, Centennial and Portneuf Rotary Clubs. It was initiated by Saeid Rezaii, president-elect of the Pocatello Rotary Club, who led a similar project during the holidays for children in the school district.  

    Rotary help will be ongoing, collecting items on a regular basis and with plans for three or four distributions each year.

    “We realized in December that the need was not just during the holidays but is there every day. For all the children we were able to help at that time there were still others who needed basic items such as coats and socks,” Rezaii said during a planning meeting.  

    “The current collection drive has been going for about a month,” said David Finkelnburg, project chair and Pocatello Rotary member.  

    During that time Rotarians have been contacting friends and local businesses looking for clothing, household goods, appliances and personal hygiene products. Some are also working to acquire plastic totes for clothing storage and shelving for two school rooms where clothing will be stored.