Overview

Kiwanis is a worldwide service organization of men and women who share the challenge of community and world improvement. Since it’s founding in Detroit, Michigan, in 1915, Kiwanis has grown to more than 8,200 clubs in almost 90 nations and geographical areas. There are approximately 300,000 active Kiwanis members from nearly every culture and on every continent who help improve people’s lives.

Kiwanians are individuals who give a little of their time to make their communities and the world better places in which to live and work. As members of a local club, members have the opportunity to make business and professional contacts, learn first-hand about local, national, and international issues, improve and used leadership skills, participate in the life of their community and world, and develop lifelong friendships.

Kiwanis clubs take on humanitarian and civic projects that public authorities are not prepared or able to perform. A typical Kiwanis club plans hands-on projects focusing on the special needs of the community, such as helping the elderly, promoting literacy, or supporting youth sports. In addition to attending a club meeting, Kiwanis members volunteer about two hours each month for projects involving children or persons in need.

Kiwanis has accomplished many programs and projects to offer help with those in need. One major continuing program is the “Young Children: Priority One” program. This special program addresses the needs of the children through projects in pediatric trauma, safety, childcare, early development, infant health, nutrition, and parenting skills. Under this program, Kiwanis is engaged in its first Worldwide Service Project. Kiwanis has teamed up with the United Nation’s Children Fund (UNICEF) to virtually eliminate Iodine Deficiency Disorders. These disorders cause various degrees of mental and physical impairment in the fetus and in young children. We have made great strides in this quest and look forward to the day the IDD is no longer a threat to the world’s children.