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. 

March grants increase access

March grants increase access

Apr 21, 2025 | General interest, Kiwanis Children's Fund, Service projects | 0 comments

Four clubs received grants for projects that adapt services for kids and families.

By Erin Chandler

In March, the Kiwanis Children’s Fund awarded 17 club grants to support outstanding Kiwanis club projects around the world. The following projects are just four examples of Kiwanians making services that are essential to kids’ development — such as in-depth education, health screenings, transportation and play — more accessible, regardless of a child’s ability or financial resources. 

Academia Kiwanis (Kiwanis Academy)
Kiwanis Club of Impacto 360, Panama
The Impacto 360 club has a plan to transform Panama City’s El Chorrillo corregimiento, where high levels of poverty have contributed to an increase in school dropout rates and juvenile crime. The plan’s first step is to convert a space into an extracurricular center where kids can learn and develop their skills in areas such as art, debate, karate and theater. The project already has the support of the Ministry of Social Development and the Ministry of Culture; a Kiwanis Children’s Fund grant will go toward renovating the Academy’s space for safety and purchasing necessary supplies for the classes. Club members hope the programs they offer will “grow with each child,” and that Kiwanis Academy graduates will return as volunteers, perpetuating its positive effects in kids’ lives and the community. 

Pediatric Cancer Screening Awareness Program
Kiwanis Club of Dhaulagiri, Nepal
The Kiwanis Club of Dhaulagiri has an ambitious plan to combat childhood cancers in the community — one that increases awareness, access to screenings, and emotional and financial support for kids with cancer and their families. The club plans to introduce its program in the small, rural Melung Village Development Committee in Nepal’s Dolakha District, which is remote from medical facilities specializing in pediatric oncology. A Kiwanis Children’s Fund grant will go toward the management of educational workshops and awareness campaigns that will teach community members the symptoms of pediatric cancers; mobile screening clinics reaching thousands of children; training sessions for healthcare professionals on pediatric cancer diagnosis; support groups and counseling services for diagnosed kids and families; and fundraising events to aid in treatment. The club hopes their efforts will improve health outcomes for kids through early diagnoses and access to treatment. 

iCan Bike
Kiwanis Club of the Horse Heaven Hills, Washington, U.S.
Over the last seven years, the Kiwanis Club of Horse Heaven Hills has partnered with iCan Shine to host six iCan Bike programs, which help kids with developmental disabilities such as autism and Down Syndrome learn to ride conventional, two-wheel bicycles. Over the course of five days, participants attend 75-minute sessions where they, along with three to seven other riders, get individual instruction from a floor supervisor and bike technician. Two volunteer spotters also accompany each rider. The iCan Bike program has a high rate of success in teaching children to ride bikes, which in turn increases their self-esteem, confidence, physical fitness and social inclusion — and it provides an independent means of transportation. A Kiwanis Children’s Fund club grant will go toward fees associated with bringing iCan Bike to the club’s community. 

Tactile and Sensory Learning Center for the Visually Impaired
Kiwanis Club of Damansara, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
The Kiwanis Club of Damansara, Kuala Lumpur has a close partnership with the Malaysian Association for the Blind (MAB) — its CEO is even a club member. The two organizations’ next big collaboration is on a tactile and sensory learning center where kids with visual impairments can learn, socialize and play. Club members will research, select and purchase tactile and auditory equipment and toys that will promote learning, exploration and development. The center will have games, musical instruments, braille books and even audiobooks recorded by Kiwanians. A club grant from the Kiwanis Children’s Fund will go toward expanding the available space and wiring it for electricity; purchasing furniture, toys and games; and producing Braille and audio books. The club will periodically restock the center, allowing hundreds of children to benefit from its inclusive fun over time. 

More club grant projects
Other projects that received club grants in August include:   

  • Inclusive, accessible playgrounds from the Kiwanis clubs of Chena-Fairbanks, Alaska, U.S.; Louisville, Kentucky, U.S.; Saint Joseph-Benton Harbor, Michigan, U.S.; Junction City, South, Kanas, U.S.; and Blue Spruce, Evergreen, Colorado, U.S. 
  • A new basketball court at the Kiwanis Children’s Sunshine Camp from the Kiwanis Club of Butte, Montana, U.S. 
  • A weekend food backpack program from the Kiwanis Club of Las Vegas Sangre de Cristo Sunrise, New Mexico, U.S. 
  • A back-to-school shopping spree from the Kiwanis Club of Santa Maria, California, U.S. 
  • A career exploration program for eighth-grade students from the Kiwanis Club of Litchfield, Minnesota, U.S. 
  • New books and bookcases for elementary schools from the Kiwanis Club of Kernersvile, North Carolina, U.S. 
  • A book vending machine from the Kiwanis Club of Pooler-West Chatham, Georgia, U.S. 
  • Funding to support Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library program in Blount County from the Kiwanis Club of Maryville, Tennessee, U.S. 
  • A program allowing Kiwanians and local police to hand out books to schoolchildren from the Kiwanis Club of Birmingham, Alabama, U.S. 

How you can help
The Kiwanis Children’s Fund makes grants that improve the lives of children around the world by identifying projects that create a continuum of impact in a child’s life — one that spans their entire childhood and sets them up for a bright future. Through The Possibility Project, the Children’s Fund ensures that its grantmaking has the greatest possible impact, supporting projects that target the Kiwanis causes — health and nutrition, education and literacy, and youth leadership development — whether through a Kiwanis club’s local service project or a club’s partner.  

Learn how your club can apply for a grant to help kids in your community. If you are interested in extending your and your club’s impact beyond your community, make a gift in support of The Possibilty Project.