Reasons to join Kiwanis

Reasons to join Kiwanis

May 7, 2025 | Club building, General interest, Leadership | 0 comments

Here’s why people become members, from personal impact to benefits and support.

By Tony Knoderer

Kiwanis membership is a way to serve kids and improve communities — which makes every Kiwanis club a chance to change children’s lives. But it’s also a place to change your own.  

Whether you’re looking for reasons to join or you’re a current member who wants to share Kiwanis with someone else, here are some factors that make being a Kiwanian a rewarding experience:   

  • Meaningful impact. Kiwanis empowers you to make a tangible difference in your community.   
  • Personal growth. Membership is a way to enhance your skills and self-confidence — with opportunities for leadership development, public speaking and project management.  
  • Global connection. The Kiwanis family is a worldwide network of like-minded individuals. Membership fosters friendships, collaborations and cross-cultural experiences.  
  • A sense of belonging. Through shared service, Kiwanis clubs offer a sense of camaraderie to their members. In fact, the Kiwanis experience often leads to lifelong friendships. 

In addition to the rewards of volunteer service, Kiwanis membership also results in specific benefits and opportunities:  

  • Partnerships and discounts. Thanks to Kiwanis International’s partnerships with various companies and organizations, members get benefits. For example, our member-discount portal makes great deals available on everything from travel to electronics — and more. 
  • Kiwanis Amplify. This optional online course helps you amplify your skills in ways that resonate even beyond your club. With specific topics and expert speakers both inside and outside the organization, participants work through the material at their own pace and interact with each other in online discussions. 
  • Blog posts and podcasts. Kiwanis International’s blog page is a handy place to find the latest news, success stories and more — including video podcasts featuring Kiwanis members and staff. Our podcast episodes are also available in audio. 
  • Support and training. Kiwanis International provides resources, learning opportunities and more. For example, Kiwanis Engage is a member-exclusive online platform that makes it easier for Kiwanians to connect and collaborate. We also offer clubs a free, easy-to-use service to set up a website. And our teams in Member Services and Information Technology are available to answer questions, provide training and other helpful services. 

Of course, there’s also the information and support we provide all around this website. Whether you’re a member or thinking about becoming one, kiwanis.org is an excellent guide to Kiwanis International — who we are, what we do and more. 

District donates for mental health

District donates for mental health

May 5, 2025 | Fundraising, General interest | 0 comments

A four-year fundraising campaign results in an annual major gift.

By Tony Knoderer 

In Indiana, U.S., the Riley Children’s Foundation received a US$500,000 gift from the Kiwanis Indiana District during the district’s midyear conference. In fact, it’s just one donation in its four-year Kiwanis-Riley Campaign — part of an overall commitment to raise $1 million through September 2027.  

The campaign’s purpose is to fight suicide, depression, anxiety and other mental health conditions among youth in Indiana by funding accessible mental health services for kids and teens. 

“The second biggest cause of death of Indiana youth is suicide. This is unacceptable,” says Al Riggle, 2024-25 district governor.  

For Riley Children’s Foundation, one solution is to embed mental health services in pediatric and primary care offices throughout the state, putting those services close to home for up to 80,000 kids. 

The million-dollar goal
When the Indiana District raised $250,000, the gift instantly unlocked a match from the Family Social Services Administration (FSSA) — resulting in the half-million total. The ultimate goal is for the campaign’s $1 million to be matched with another million from FSSA. 

This year’s fundraising success led directly to progress toward next year’s. 

“We asked those present if they had anything to donate toward our next $250,000 check,” Steve Ingram, a past governor and a Kiwanis International trustee, wrote on his Facebook page afterward. “Immediately people came forward with checks totaling $102,295.” 

This kind of generosity is keeping the campaign ahead of its goal in just its second year, Riggle says. 

“We do a parade of checks at the midyear conference to allow clubs to donate money they’ve raised during that portion of the year to support the campaign,” he says. “The remainder will come in at the district convention. The district governor after me will do the same thing next year for the third year of the campaign.” 

A history of support
The current campaign is just the latest four-year fundraising initiative through which the Indiana District has raised funds for causes supported by Riley Children’s Foundation.  

“In the third year of each campaign, the Riley Children’s Foundation comes up with potential themes for the next campaign,” Riggle says. “These are presented to the (district’s) KIDS Committee and a recommendation is submitted to the district board. Once approved, all the planning takes place to kick off the campaign the next year at the conclusion of the current campaign.”   

Past campaigns have addressed autism and early developmental delay, the infant mortality rate and the creation of a staffed play-therapy room at Riley Children’s Hospital. In total, the Indiana District has provided over $9 million in support for various Riley programs and initiatives. 

Kiwanis service as a family legacy

Kiwanis service as a family legacy

Apr 15, 2025 | Club building, General interest, Service projects | 0 comments

Here are a few examples of club membership among multiple family members. 

By Tony Knoderer

There are Kiwanis clubs all over the world — and clubs in Kiwanis Service Leadership Programs, with members ranging from elementary/primary schools to university students and adults with disabilities.  

Put them all together, and we call it “the Kiwanis family.” 

Through the years, however, there have also been literal Kiwanis families. In fact, it’s not uncommon for multiple members of the same family to be in the same Kiwanis club. As a salute to those folks, we’ve assembled some past posts that show how a commitment to service can become an enduring legacy:  

  • Generations of service: In Louisiana, U.S., one family has been represented in Kiwanis for more than eight decades.  
  • Fostering family and service: A Florida couple had back-to-back terms as district governor while supporting foster care at home and in the community. 

 Our thanks to these Kiwanians — and to all members who have made their families a part of the Kiwanis family.