Why Passport clubs are a good idea

Members of the Valley of the Sun Passport Club attend this year’s district conference.

By Marco Cecala, Valley of the Sun Rotary Passport Club

When we moved to a rural location, it was getting too difficult to keep up with Rotary meetings. The nearest club was an hour away. I wanted to stay engaged, but the drive was a chore. I could visit when I was out doing errands in a town with a club, but it’s not always easy to schedule meetings around. Additionally, we traveled a lot, much of it off the grid.

We heard about the Passport club structure from a friend and decided we liked the format. We meet once a month online, and the board meets monthly. Members volunteer when and where possible.

I would describe our club as flexible, agile, and experienced. Club presidents and district governors have referred some of our members. When a member or potential member does not feel they can commit to a traditional club, they call us. 

Makeup of our members

Our club is composed of:

• Rotarians who are retired and travel a lot.
• Experienced people who know how to get things done, from unique fundraising to writing district and global grants. They want to serve but may not have much time for the social aspects of a traditional club.
• Members who are willing to donate to projects they like and know where to go to get additional support or funds.
• Young professionals who are already stretched thin. They come on board and learn how to make a difference, interacting with experienced members.

Club Experience

A lot of our club experience differs from the norm. We meet monthly on Zoom. Committees update the group and share our recent personal adventures. We try to bring in high-profile speakers and share their presentations on the district’s website. This allows us to attract people from a broader geographical area. We communicate with each other a lot when working on a committee for a project. Being united in our goals builds the connections that would otherwise occur in a weekly meeting in a traditional club.

When we slow down our professional lives, many of us go to places and see projects we have supported for years. The continued interest in those is passed on when we visit clubs and give a presentation. Other members become inspired to participate.

We use the extra time available to promote and engage other Rotarians who might have an interest in our favorite causes. There are many places to channel funds and effort within the areas of service. When we personally discuss our passion projects with others, the enthusiasm is contagious. As a Passport club, we are ambassadors for passion projects and creative ways to fund them. This is just one more way to do good in the world.

Fundraising

General fundraising is different, but successful. Online auctions are a good idea. Our members can acquire donations that will get attention. They are easy to set up, and the items get a lot of exposure.

With a club like this, things go differently than with a traditional club. Some of our members are experienced fundraisers and gather money for grants. Without a large number of members in one location, we often act as a funding source, providing assets and some members to undertake the work. We then utilize local groups to provide additional help.

One example of this is a backpack project for a school. We can acquire them, then work with parents and staff volunteers to facilitate distribution. When the project is completed, we share the success with the partner organization that helped. With that promotion, we attract new members and increase public awareness, which in turn helps us secure outside funding.

If you are finding it challenging to keep up in a traditional Rotary club, but still want to stay involved with Rotary, give some thought to a Passport club. Reach out to us if you want more information about how we have structured our club.

The Autumn Ghost: How a 1952 Polio Crisis Created the Modern ICU

In 1952, Copenhagen faced a terrifying polio outbreak. Known as the "Autumn Ghost," the virus struck 12-year-old Vivi Ebert, leaving her paralyzed and unable to breathe. Without a vaccine or access to an iron lung, doctors launched a daring medical experiment that not only saved Vivi’s life—but revolutionized critical care. This crisis led to the invention of machine-run ventilators and the birth of the modern Intensive Care Unit (ICU), changing medicine forever.

What Are the 'Three Sisters' of Native American Agriculture?

A centuries-old system of growing corn, beans and squash together, it reflects Indigenous agricultural knowledge and teachings about cooperation and balance.

By Vincent Shilling

For centuries, Indigenous communities across North America have grown corn, beans and squash—known as the "Three Sisters”—in close proximity to each other. Not only do these staple crops provide excellent nutritional sustenance. Planted together, they form a symbiotic system that reflects generations’ worth of agricultural knowledge and cultural teaching about balance, cooperation and interconnectedness.

How does planting the Three Sisters together work?

The Three Sisters embody a methodology known as companion planting. When grown together in the same mound of earth, the plants support one another in a mutually beneficial system. “Corn offers a structure for the beans to climb,” writes Mardi Dodson, co-author of Companion Planting & Botanical Pesticides. “The beans, in turn, help to replenish the soil with nutrients. And the large leaves of squash and pumpkin vines provide living mulch that conserves water and provides weed control.”

How widely is it practiced?

Versions of the Three Sisters planting system have been practiced by many Indigenous nations—from the Haudenosaunee in the Northeast and the Cherokee in the Southeast to the Mandan and Hidatsa on the Plains and the Hopi and Zuni in the Southwest. Each adapted the trio of corn, beans and squash to its own environment and traditions. Today, the practice continues and has been revived as part of Indigenous food sovereignty movements. Tribes such as the St. Regis Mohawk Tribe still teach this methodology to students at the Akwesasne Freedom School. The Chickasaw Nation offers public presentations about the practice during its Three Sisters Festival.

Why are the Three Sisters sacred to Native people?

While the Three Sisters agricultural system is widespread across North America, the stories attached to it—many ancient in origin—vary significantly by nation and region. There is no single tale or meaning shared uniformly across Native cultures. In the Mohawk creation story, for example, corn, beans and squash first came with Sky Woman, who brought them from Sky World, says Kay Olan, a retired Mohawk schoolteacher and traditional storyteller.

The Three Sisters story is perhaps the most fully developed and widely cited among the Haudenosaunee Confederacy (which includes the Mohawk, Oneida, Onondaga, Cayuga, Seneca and Tuscarora nations). In their tradition, the Three Sisters are personified as a trio of women who cared for each other, despite having disparate personalities. In the story, they separate, then eventually reunite, expressing their wish to never part again. Olan says learning of their collective strength when reunited—like corn offering support, beans bringing strength and squash providing protection—is the message of the story. “When we're eating corn, beans and squash together, we're reminded of that lesson in cooperation.”

How did the arrival of European settlers affect the cultivation of the Three Sisters?

Under pressure from European settlers, tribes in the 19th century were forcibly displaced to reservation lands that were often barren and unconducive to traditional agricultural practices. Over time, Indigenous people became increasingly reliant on processed and nonagricultural commodity foods such as white flour, lard and sugar, says Olan. Unaccustomed to digesting such fare, Native Americans experienced a sharp rise in diabetes and other health problems.

“That's why we have to relearn what those foods were,” says Olan, referring to the Three Sisters and other traditional fare, “and how to prepare them so that we can become healthier again.”

Who gets SNAP benefits to buy groceries and what the government pays for the program – in 5 charts

The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program has helped low-income Americans buy groceries for decades with few disruptions.

But on Nov. 1, 2025, the federal government halted the flow of funds to states to distribute as SNAP benefits. The Trump administration blames this unprecedented disruption on the federal government shutdown, which began a month earlier. Following multiple court orders, federal officials said they plan to distribute at least a portion of the US$8 billion that’s supposed to flow monthly to the states to cover the costs of the program’s benefits. On Nov. 6, another judge ordered the distribution of all SNAP funds that were due in November.

Although the program costs billions, the benefits that families and individuals can receive from it are modest. The most a person living on their own can get is $298 a month, but many people receive far less. The average benefit is an estimated $6.17 daily – which falls below some estimates of the minimum cost of eating a nutritious diet in the United States.

The Conversation U.S. asked Tracy Roof, a political scientist who has researched the history of government nutrition programs, to explain who SNAP helps, how enrollment varies from state to state and what the program costs to run.

How many Americans are enrolled in SNAP?

The number of people getting SNAP benefits soared during the Great Recession, a big downturn that began in December 2007 and had long-lasting effects on the economy.

Because of high unemployment and poverty rates, more people were eligible for SNAP during those years. Many states, eager to bring dollars into their economies from federally funded SNAP benefits, made unprecedented efforts to enroll eligible families. SNAP enrollment peaked in 2013 at roughly 15% of Americans. The number of the program’s participants fell as the economy recovered, but never returned to pre-recession levels because a greater share of eligible families continued to enroll in the program after the economic crisis than before.

When the COVID-19 pandemic upended the U.S. economy in 2020, the number of people with SNAP benefits soared again. President Donald Trump has blamed high enrollment in SNAP on the Biden administration “haphazardly” handing benefits “to anyone for the asking.”

That assertion is misleading. While the Biden White House increased benefits, it did not expand who was eligible for SNAP. In fact, President Joe Biden agreed to apply work requirements and time limits to more SNAP recipients. Moreover, states, not the federal government, are primarily responsible for determining eligibility and enrolling people in SNAP. The number of people who received SNAP benefits during Biden’s presidency never exceeded 43 million – the peak reached in September 2020 during the first Trump administration.

The number of people using SNAP benefits to buy groceries has not fallen substantially because the number of people in poverty and the cost of living, including what Americans pay for food, have both increased since 2020.

How much does the program cost the federal government?

In inflation-adjusted 2024 dollars, spending peaked at $128 billion in 2021 and fell to $100 billion in 2024 – nearing pre-pandemic levels.

The program’s spending had previously increased significantly during the Great Recession because SNAP enrollment rose and benefits were temporarily increased. Spending declined as the economy gradually recovered.

While the number of people on SNAP during the pandemic and its aftermath never reached the peak of the Great Recession, the level of spending did reach much higher levels. This was because of three steps taken to increase benefits by more sizable amounts than during the Great Recession.

1. The Families First Act, which Trump signed into law in March 2020, offered “emergency allotments” that increased monthly benefits for many households receiving SNAP. Biden extended emergency benefits to all households enrolled in the program in April 2021, driving spending even higher. Budget legislation that Congress passed in December 2022 ended the emergency benefits in February 2023.
2. Biden signed two pieces of legislation in 2021 that temporarily increased the maximum SNAP benefit by 15% through September 2021 – the height of the pandemic’s effects on the economy.
3. The Biden administration adjusted the basis for calculating monthly benefits in October 2021, just as the temporary increase was expiring. That change permanently increased benefits.

Most households getting SNAP benefits include children and older people

Nearly 60% of Americans enrolled in SNAP are either children under 18 or adults who are 60 or older.

About 1 in 5 non-elderly adults with SNAP benefits have a disability.

Less than 10% of all the people receiving SNAP benefits are able-bodied adults without children who are between the ages of 19 and 49.

Around 55% of all families with children that receive SNAP benefits include at least one employed adult.

The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program has helped low-income Americans buy groceries for decades with few disruptions.

But on Nov. 1, 2025, the federal government halted the flow of funds to states to distribute as SNAP benefits. The Trump administration blames this unprecedented disruption on the federal government shutdown, which began a month earlier. Following multiple court orders, federal officials said they plan to distribute at least a portion of the US$8 billion that’s supposed to flow monthly to the states to cover the costs of the program’s benefits. On Nov. 6, another judge ordered the distribution of all SNAP funds that were due in November.

Although the program costs billions, the benefits that families and individuals can receive from it are modest. The most a person living on their own can get is $298 a month, but many people receive far less. The average benefit is an estimated $6.17 daily – which falls below some estimates of the minimum cost of eating a nutritious diet in the United States.

The Conversation U.S. asked Tracy Roof, a political scientist who has researched the history of government nutrition programs, to explain who SNAP helps, how enrollment varies from state to state and what the program costs to run.

Text with us for something interesting every day or two

How many Americans are enrolled in SNAP?

The number of people getting SNAP benefits soared during the Great Recession, a big downturn that began in December 2007 and had long-lasting effects on the economy.

Because of high unemployment and poverty rates, more people were eligible for SNAP during those years. Many states, eager to bring dollars into their economies from federally funded SNAP benefits, made unprecedented efforts to enroll eligible families. SNAP enrollment peaked in 2013 at roughly 15% of Americans. The number of the program’s participants fell as the economy recovered, but never returned to pre-recession levels because a greater share of eligible families continued to enroll in the program after the economic crisis than before.

When the COVID-19 pandemic upended the U.S. economy in 2020, the number of people with SNAP benefits soared again. President Donald Trump has blamed high enrollment in SNAP on the Biden administration “haphazardly” handing benefits “to anyone for the asking.”

That assertion is misleading. While the Biden White House increased benefits, it did not expand who was eligible for SNAP. In fact, President Joe Biden agreed to apply work requirements and time limits to more SNAP recipients. Moreover, states, not the federal government, are primarily responsible for determining eligibility and enrolling people in SNAP. The number of people who received SNAP benefits during Biden’s presidency never exceeded 43 million – the peak reached in September 2020 during the first Trump administration.

The number of people using SNAP benefits to buy groceries has not fallen substantially because the number of people in poverty and the cost of living, including what Americans pay for food, have both increased since 2020.

How much does the program cost the federal government?

In inflation-adjusted 2024 dollars, spending peaked at $128 billion in 2021 and fell to $100 billion in 2024 – nearing pre-pandemic levels.

The program’s spending had previously increased significantly during the Great Recession because SNAP enrollment rose and benefits were temporarily increased. Spending declined as the economy gradually recovered.

While the number of people on SNAP during the pandemic and its aftermath never reached the peak of the Great Recession, the level of spending did reach much higher levels. This was because of three steps taken to increase benefits by more sizable amounts than during the Great Recession.

1. The Families First Act, which Trump signed into law in March 2020, offered “emergency allotments” that increased monthly benefits for many households receiving SNAP. Biden extended emergency benefits to all households enrolled in the program in April 2021, driving spending even higher. Budget legislation that Congress passed in December 2022 ended the emergency benefits in February 2023.
2. Biden signed two pieces of legislation in 2021 that temporarily increased the maximum SNAP benefit by 15% through September 2021 – the height of the pandemic’s effects on the economy.
3. The Biden administration adjusted the basis for calculating monthly benefits in October 2021, just as the temporary increase was expiring. That change permanently increased benefits.

Most households getting SNAP benefits include children and older people

Nearly 60% of Americans enrolled in SNAP are either children under 18 or adults who are 60 or older.

About 1 in 5 non-elderly adults with SNAP benefits have a disability.

Less than 10% of all the people receiving SNAP benefits are able-bodied adults without children who are between the ages of 19 and 49.

Around 55% of all families with children that receive SNAP benefits include at least one employed adult.

Enrollment ranges widely from state to state

In some states, 1 in 5 people receive SNAP benefits. In others, it’s 1 in 20.

The share of a state’s population getting SNAP is determined both by its poverty rate and its policies. Those policies can affect who is eligible and the share of eligible families and individuals who enroll in the program.

Of the 10 states with the highest percentage of people on SNAP, five are also in the top 10 for the percentage of the population in poverty: New Mexico, Louisiana, Oklahoma, West Virginia and Nevada.

According to 2022 data, nine of those 10 states have enrolled nearly all families who are eligible for SNAP benefits: New Mexico, Louisiana, Oregon, Oklahoma, West Virginia, Massachusetts, Nevada, Pennsylvania and Illinois.

States vary widely in terms of the percentage of eligible families who obtain SNAP benefits. In the bottom quarter of states, fewer than 81% of eligible residents in 2022 were getting benefits. The percentage in Arkansas was the lowest: 59%.

States with the highest enrollment numbers tend to make it easier for their residents to get SNAP benefits by minimizing red tape and engaging in more outreach to eligible families. They also adopt policies that allow some people to qualify for SNAP at higher incomes or with more assets.

Americans of all races and ethnic backgrounds rely on SNAP

A little over 35% of people who get SNAP benefits are white, more than any other racial or ethnic group. Around 26% are Black and 16% are Hispanic.

Although more white people are enrolled in SNAP, Census data shows that greater percentages of Black and Hispanic people get these benefits: 24.4% of Black people and 17.2% of Hispanic people compared with 9.7% of white people. This is because these groups are disproportionately poor.

Undocumented immigrants are not eligible for SNAP. Only 4.4% of SNAP recipients in the 2023 fiscal year were immigrants who were not citizens but legally present in the U.S., such as refugees.

The “big” tax-and-spending package Trump signed into law on July 4, 2025, however, ended SNAP eligibility for most of those immigrants.