Guests welcome
Kiwanis is a global organization of volunteers dedicated to
changing the world one child and one community at a time.--Kiwanis defining
statement, adopted October 2004.
Founded in 1915 in Detroit
and with headquarters now in Indianapolis,
Kiwanis International is a thriving organization of service- and
community-minded individuals who support children and young adults around the
world. More than 600,000 Kiwanis-family members in 96 countries make their mark
by responding to the needs of their communities and pooling their resources to
address worldwide issues. Through these efforts, Kiwanis International truly is
"Serving the Children of the World."
Guided by six permanent Objects, Kiwanis clubs view their
role within their respective communities with a great deal of foresight. Key
aspects to operating an effective club include:
Evaluating both
children’s issues and community needs on an ongoing basis
Conducting service
projects to respond to those identified needs
Maintaining an active
membership roster of professional business people who have both the desire and
the ability to serve their community
Club meetings traditionally are conducted once a week and
offer an atmosphere of fun, learning, and fellowship. In addition to attending
the meetings, the typical Kiwanian volunteers each month to assist with club
service projects. Service projects often
are linked to the Kiwanis program, “Young Children: Priority One.” This
initiative places continuing focus on the needs of children in pediatric
trauma, safety, child care, early development, infant health, nutrition, and
parenting skills. Service projects also
can address other needs within the community, such as working to stop substance
abuse, helping the elderly, promoting literacy, supporting youth sports and
recreation, responding to disasters, and supporting specific persons in need.
Kiwanis also plays a special role in developing future
generations of leaders. K-Kids clubs at the elementary school level, Builders
Clubs in middle school and junior highs, Key Clubs in high schools, and Circle
K clubs at the collegiate level all are Kiwanis organizations that teach
community service and leadership skills to young people. In addition, Aktion
Clubs are made up of adults with mental and physical disabilities who
enthusiastically perform service to help others.
Worldwide, the entire Kiwanis family is committed to
eliminating the devastating effects of iodine deficiency disorders (IDD), the
world’s leading preventable cause of mental retardation. More than 1.5 billion
people are at risk of suffering IDD because they do not receive enough iodine
in their diet. But, because of Kiwanis’ efforts, many parents who have been
affected by IDD are able to watch their children grow up healthy and reach
their full physical and mental potential. The results of the IDD program will
benefit every future generation.
A typical Kiwanis club is a snapshot of its community, with
members from all walks of life and at every step of the career ladder. They are
unified in their belief that children and their communities benefit from the
efforts of a proficient group of caring and involved volunteers. In a typical
year, Kiwanis clubs invest more than 6.2 million hours and US$100 million in
communities around the world. Through these efforts, the Kiwanis organization
truly leaves a lasting impression on future generations.