Grants help transform kids’ education

Grants help transform kids’ education

Nov 13, 2026 | General interest, Kiwanis Children's Fund, Literacy, Service projects | 0 comments

Four clubs on four continents will help kids learn and grow in new ways. 

作者：艾琳・錢德勒

In August, the Kiwanis Children’s Fund awarded 22 club grants to support outstanding Kiwanis club projects on four continents. The following four projects — one from each region — show how Kiwanians can transform kids’ education. By making reading a fun event, organizing a trip that expands horizons, introducing kids to art and creativity, and providing a space for specialized learning, these projects turn students into lifelong learners. 

Dr. Seuss Reading Day
The Kiwanis Club of Carrollton, Georgia, U.S.
Each year in March, around 50 volunteers from the Kiwanis Club of Carrollton and the community visit local schools to throw a birthday party for Dr. Seuss, author of classic children’s books such as “The Cat in the Hat” and “Green Eggs and Ham.” The volunteers choose a Dr. Seuss book to read to or alongside the students, then talk with them about the importance of reading, both in school and at home with family members. With help from a Kiwanis Children’s Fund club grant, every student will then take home a copy of the book. This festive spin on story time gets kids excited about reading. 

Belgium Week for Children and Young People with Disabilities
Kiwanis Club of Innsbruck, Austria
Each year, local Kiwanis clubs take children from two special-needs schools in the Lienz district of Austria on a trip to Belgium. There is a lack of enrichment opportunities for children with disabilities in the area, and families and schools struggle to fund them on their own. A Kiwanis Children’s Fund grant helped fund this year’s trip for 18 students, who spent a week cycling, swimming, hiking, doing gymnastics and pottery, completing a high ropes course and participating in group games. The trip gives students an opportunity to develop their athletic and creative skills, but it also builds their confidence and communication skills — which help them cope with challenges, feel a sense of belonging and form friendships through shared activities.  

Art That Transforms
Kiwanis Club of Katías, Colombia
The Kiwanis Club of Katías has a history of visiting remote schools to deliver programs on nutrition, recreation, leadership and values. Now they are working with Andes Pinta, an organization that has developed art initiatives in urban areas, to bring art education to 10 rural schools without easy access to artistic and cultural programs. Art That Transforms, which has the support of the Department of Education and local teachers, will bring Kiwanis volunteers to teach a variety of painting and drawing techniques in three-month cycles and follow-up sessions over the course of two years. The club hopes that hundreds of students will develop new artistic skills — and with them, their self-expression and creativity. The program will culminate in an art exhibition in an urban center of the Andes, where communities, families and the students themselves will see their creations displayed. A Kiwanis Children’s Fund grant will help pay for art and educational supplies, transportation and costs associated with mounting the exhibition. 

Sensory Room Phase 2: Advanced Multisensory Integration
Kiwanis Club of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
The Kiwanis Club of Kuala Lumpur is stepping up to help expand services offered by the Kiwanis Down Syndrome Foundation National Centre. Over 40% of the children who receive educational and physical therapy services at the Centre also face sensory processing challenges. The Centre’s new sensory room was built to address these needs — but it still needed specialized therapeutic tools recommended by a team of caregivers and experts who work closely with the children at the Centre. A Kiwanis Children’s Fund club grant will help purchase items that help children with visual tracking, tactile defensiveness and emotional self-regulation. With a hammock swing, sensory liquid-gel number tiles, a padded sequin wall panel, crash pad, infinity mirror, infinity tunnel and projector, 100 students will be better prepared for future school integration. 

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

  • Library renovations from the Kiwanis Clubs of Domodossola, Italy, and North Manchester, Indiana, U.S. 
  • A socio-emotional education program from the Kiwanis Club of Bucaramanga, Colombia 
  • A story time and book giveaway from the Kiwanis Club of La Palma, California, U.S. 
  • A school supply drive from the Kiwanis Club of Scottsdale, Arizona, U.S. 
  • A community garden from the Kiwanis Club of Rogers City, Michigan, U.S. 
  • The “Feed. Fuel. Teach.” nutrition initiative from the Kiwanis Club of Topsail Island Area, North Carolina, U.S. 
  • A middle school track and field event from the Kiwanis Club de Amigos, Tucson, Arizona, U.S. 
  • Meal packing events from the Kiwanis clubs of the Azaela City, Palatka, Florida, U.S., and Presque Isle, Maine, U.S. 
  • A winter clothing giveaway for local students from the Kiwanis Club of Joplin, Missouri, U.S. 
  • A food delivery and health education program from the Kiwanis Club of Acacías-Meta, Colombia 
  • Personal care and hygiene kits for students from the Kiwanis Club of Dexter-Sunrise, Maine, U.S. 
  • New or revitalized parks and playgrounds from the Kiwanis Club of Lakeshore, Sault St. Marie, Ontario, Canada; and in the U.S. from the Kiwanis Clubs of Pawleys Island, South Carolina; Redmond, Oregon; Garden City, Michigan; and Henderson Center, Eureka, California.  

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. With gifts to The Kiwanis 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, support The Kiwanis Possibility Project.   

8 ways to help kids love reading

8 ways to help kids love reading

Nov 13, 2026 | General interest, Literacy, Service projects | 0 comments

With local partners and a few ideas, your club can support literacy.

By Destiny Cherry 

Education and literacy represent one of Kiwanis International’s three causes. Looking for ways your club can support kids’ love for reading? Here are eight ideas to do it through service, fundraising and community partnership: 

  1. Read to children at a local library, children’s hospital or school. In addition to serving kids, it’s a way to build connections with organizations in your community. Host story time at your local library, read to kids in after-school programs and during designated class times, or read to young patients in a children’s hospital. If you have multilingual club members, diversify your reading languages for kids who are multilingual or learning a new language.  
  2. Tutor at schools in your area. When you partner with schools, your club gains access to students across age groups and academic levels. While high school tutors usually require subject-specific knowledge or more advanced educational experience, elementary and lower middle-grade levels are more flexible and do not typically require college degrees. Depending on the school and the instructor’s comfort levels, tutoring can take place in a variety of settings — whether it’s during class time, after school or even as summer-school service.  
  3. Hold a book drive. Your club can host the event at a community-centered location, offering snacks and drinks during your hours of operation — and even provide Kiwanis-branded items to keep your club in people’s minds. Promote the donation of books that reflect a range of races, ethnicities, religions and languages. Distribute the books to multiple locations — or partner with a single location for the event and donate the books there at the end of the drive.  
  4. Start and fill a Little Free Library. A Kiwanis International partner, Little Free Library expands access to books through free, accessible exchange. In your community, it’s a visible testament to the club’s commitment to education and literacy.  
  5. Conduct a reading challenge on social media. Whether it’s on your club’s social media accounts or on a town/community account, a challenge could take a variety of forms. One idea: The first family to read 50 books and submit the reviews of each book as evidence are the winners. Another idea: Provide a bingo card of reading-related tasks — such as reading in a park or checking out a library book — that a family would fill out and then submit with a photo of each activity. Add book-related prizes or bookstore gift cards as incentives. 
  6. Create reading kits for kids. Here’s a way to get all club membes involved in a service project. Reading kits require only a few supplies — colored paper, markers, pencils, glue sticks and scissors — with different members contributing different supplies. One idea: A member creates a background, leaving space for a child to fill in characters and continue the story. After creating the kits, take them to a children’s hospital or to a library for story time — and complete the stories alongside the kids. Include handmade  bookmarks to add some flair. 
  7. Fundraising for e-readers. With a built-in dictionary, translators, audiobook capabilities and easy access to books, e-readers have been an increasingly useful way to help children who struggle with reading. But they’re not always available in large quantities to libraries, schools, hospitals and childcare centers. Raising money for one (or all) of these organizations can allow kids who are falling behind to bridge the gap with their peers. Don’t forget our five fundraising fundamentals!  
  8. Sponsor a “literacy corner.” Approach local businesses about putting a club-sponsored “literacy corner” in their locations. It can be as simple as a bookshelf, basket or small table with children’s books and learning games in the corner of a coffee shop, diner, barber shop/salon, laundromat or local retail store. Your club can take responsibility for accumulating the items while the business oversees the maintenance and cleanliness of the corner. Hold a fundraiser for the corner or conduct a drive for books and games. The business could also encourage customers to bring in lightly used books or games.  

More tips and ideas
There’s no better source of inspiration than real success. Check out some past success stories from the Kiwanis family. And get more tips for promoting literacy. 

某俱樂部的閱讀計畫吸引了企業會員 

某俱樂部的閱讀計畫吸引了企業會員 

2026年9月17日|社團建設、一般興趣、識字教育、服務計畫| 0 則留言

請參閱 了解一個 位於美國路易斯安那州的基瓦尼斯俱樂部 如何招募 當地企業與組織。

作者：Julie Saetre 

2007年，梅爾·杜塞爾（Mel Dussel）加入基瓦尼斯俱樂部僅數月，俱樂部會長便邀請他前往當地一所小學走一趟。 位於美國路易斯安那州梅泰里（Metairie）的「破曉者」（Dawn Busters）基瓦尼斯俱樂部，當時剛啟動了一項名為「閱讀獎勵」（Rewards for Reading）的計畫，透過此計畫，孩子們能藉由提升閱讀能力來贏得獎品和獎勵。在那天十二月，該俱樂部正向一名計畫參與者頒發一輛新腳踏車——這是他們每年舉辦兩次的活動。 

身為該俱樂部在該活動的代表，杜塞爾深受感動，於是捐出該俱樂部的 第二輛 自行車作為額外獎勵，並承諾在下次預定的贈獎活動中親自補上這輛車。

他很快便負責起「閱讀獎勵」計畫，並希望擴大該計畫的範圍。他致力於增加該讀書會的企業會員數量，這也將帶動實物與現金捐款的增長。

這正是杜塞爾的銷售與人脈建立能力發揮作用之處。一位朋友的朋友建議他聯繫當地一家激光槍戰場地的聯絡人。該企業成為杜塞爾為俱樂部名單新增的首家企業會員。對閱讀計畫而言，這意味著該場地將捐贈激光槍戰門票給參與活動的孩童——此外，還提供額外門票及場內餐點的折扣。

以下為參與者名單及成果
隨著「閱讀獎勵計畫」的消息廣為流傳，各企業紛紛主動聯繫。例如，當地一支 AAA 級棒球隊每年兩次向每位計畫參與者捐贈一張四人入場券，並舉辦一場專為孩子們而設的特別比賽，提供往返活動現場的巴士接送服務，還邀請孩子們在比賽結束後跑壘。

在鄰近的新奧爾良舉辦超級盃後，「大新奧爾良體育基金會」——該基金會亦為本會企業會員——捐贈了足夠填滿一輛18輪半掛卡車的剩餘夾克、帽子、T恤及其他周邊商品。該基金會隨後也在該市舉辦其他大型體育賽事後，持續捐贈周邊商品。

企業會員資格對俱樂部的各項計畫與倡議產生了連鎖效應。舉例來說，該俱樂部過去每年需動用 10,000 美元來資助社區中需要幫助的成員；如今該計畫已獲得全額資助。事實上，該俱樂部現將這 10,000 美元用於頒發獎學金，獎勵其贊助的五個「Key Club」中各校即將畢業的高中應屆畢業生。 

成功的樣貌
在過去的 19 年間，本俱樂部已招募超過 200 名新會員——其中包括近 50 個企業會員。參與「閱讀獎勵計畫」的兒童已獲得總值超過 2,000 萬美元的獎品，其中更有超過 1,500 名兒童將嶄新的自行車帶回家。 

該俱樂部目前的會員名單簡直就像一份《名人錄》：路易斯安那州副州長、農業廳長、路易斯安那州肯納市市長、學區總監、市議會議員，以及新奧爾良美國烹飪基金會；另有七家銀行和三家聯邦信用合作社。 

杜塞爾表示，他們之所以成為「黎明開拓者」的成員，都是因為這個閱讀計畫——但不僅僅是作為捐款人。

「這些企業人士不僅是會員、贊助者和捐款人，」他補充道。「他們還會親自參與。」 

您的俱樂部該如何做到這一點
杜塞爾表示，尋找企業會員和贊助商並非僅限於大型俱樂部。俱樂部的專案和活動才是最重要的。

「人們常說：『哎，你們可是間大球會啊，』」他補充道。「我們並非一直都是大球會。就算你們那鎮上只有50個人，我也無所謂。」

「我這輩子都在做銷售。但如果你沒有產品可賣，就賣不出去。……如果沒有這個閱讀計畫，我們就不會擁有三分之二的［企業會員］。」 

對於希望推動自身企業會員計畫的俱樂部，杜塞爾提供了一些實用建議： 

  • 識別潛在會員。 您與新加入的會員組織如何能互惠互利？「基瓦尼斯俱樂部［就像］一家企業，」杜塞爾表示。「您希望與誰共同經營這家企業？又能幫助誰呢？」  
  • 做好準備。 杜塞爾隨時隨地都隨身攜帶印有「黎明破曉者梅泰里閱讀獎勵計畫」字樣及其電子郵件地址的紅色名片，並將它們遞給感興趣的人。「只要房間裡有超過兩個人，我就會開始物色潛在會員，」他說。他會請對方寄電子郵件給他，以便他能更深入地說明該俱樂部的運作方式，以及閱讀計畫的具體內容。  
  • 邀請潛在會員在會議上發言。 杜塞爾估計，每四位客座講者中，就有一位會成為俱樂部或企業會員。 
  • 向企業會員的指定代表取得聯絡資訊。 「當你獲得這些會員時，你得到的不只是他們，」杜塞爾說。「你同時也獲得了他們整個社交圈。」 

除了 他補充道，除了具體需求與興趣之外，企業會員與其他會員並無二致：他們同樣需要享受俱樂部的體驗。杜塞爾建議在俱樂部行事曆中預留時間，舉辦慶祝活動與社交聚會。最近，俱樂部在當地遊戲中心舉辦了一場保齡球之夜後，成功招募了三名新會員。