Kiwanis clubs around the world can serve more kids thanks to grants from the Kiwanis Children’s Fund. From preserving vision to providing hands-on learning about nutrition, grants are helping clubs improve children’s lives in the Kiwanis cause areas of health and nutrition, education and literacy and youth leadership development. In fact, these grants will help clubs improve the lives of more than 130,000 children in communities in three countries and four U.S. states.
Gifts to the Kiwanis Children’s Fund allow clubs and members to extend their impact beyond their own communities to reach children around the world through grants such as these. Learn more about the difference your gift can make.
Learning through gardening
Little ones can get their hands dirty, tend gardens and learn about nutrition thanks to the Kiwanis Club of Shepparton Sunrisers in Australia. The club sponsors a healthy lifestyle garden and outdoor education center called Sprout at KidsTown, a community adventure park and playground. Sprout allows kids to help plant and care for a low-water garden. The club received a grant from the Children’s Fund to add educational, interactive signs that will enable teachers to create curricula about healthy eating, with themes such as Super Greens, Delicious Dairy and Wonderful Water.
The gift of vision
The Kiwanis Club of Nilgiri in Nepal will use a grant from the Kiwanis Children’s Fund to provide vision testing and services to more than 20,000 children at 39 schools. The club says that many children in Nepal are born with congenital cataracts that can lead to vision loss and blindness if not treated through surgery or eye-patch therapy. The club will work with eye specialists to provide testing and, if needed, medical or surgical treatment for the children. Club members plan to return to the schools every year for follow-up exams and hope to recruit other Kiwanis clubs to participate in the program.
A place for all to play
Kiwanis Club of Fremont, Ohio, is marking its 100th anniversary by creating an inclusive playground at Rodger Young Park. A grant from the Kiwanis Children’s Fund will help the club reach its goal of raising US$600,000 to provide a space for people of all ages and abilities to have positive play experiences. The playground, designed by Kiwanis partner Landscape Structures, Inc., includes wheelchair swings, a toddler imaginative play area, a wheelchair accessible merry-go-round, spinning structures and ground covering that is cushioned and conducive to wheelchair maneuverability. The club expects the playground to serve 5,000 children from Fremont and the surrounding Sandusky County area.
Taking center stage
The Kiwanis Club of Auburn in Washington received a grant from the Kiwanis Children’s Fund to support its project that puts the Kiwanis name front and center. As part of its 100th anniversary, the club entered into a 10-year agreement with the city of Auburn to name a newly created outdoor stage and arts venue the Kiwanis Centennial Stage. The city will use the money it received from the Kiwanis club to provide free arts and recreational programs to youth and to support the Auburn Youth Council. The Youth Council offers students leadership and service opportunities in the city throughout the year.
A joint endeavor
The Kiwanis Club of Almaden Valley, San Jose is working with the city of San Jose, Santa Clara County and Almaden Valley Rotary Club in California to create an all-inclusive playground at the 32-acre Almaden Lake Park. The Playgarden & Nature Area is expected to serve as many as 100,000 children in the San Jose area. The Kiwanis club plans to partner with Kiwanis Special Games to host monthly outreach programs at the park.
Preschool play
The Kiwanis Club of Woodbury in New Jersey is working with its local school district to create a playground for its growing preschool population. The club will use the grant from the Children’s Fund to create outdoor play classrooms where children can develop social and physical skills as well as work on creativity, problem-solving, patience, cooperation and more.
Does your club have a project that could benefit from a Children’s Fund grant? Go here to learn more. The deadline to submit a Letter of Inquiry -- the first step in the application process -- has been extended to March 1, 2022.