Grants galvanize Key Club projects

Grants galvanize Key Club projects

Jan 23, 2024 | Fundraising, General interest, Kiwanis Children's Fund, Leadership, Literacy, News, Service Leadership Programs | 0 comments

Key Clubs around the world receive Youth Opportunities Fund grants from the Kiwanis Children’s Fund. 

By Erin Chandler 

Key Clubs are making a difference in their schools, their communities and the world — and their impact should not be underestimated. The Kiwanis Children’s Fund established the Youth Opportunities Fund to provide resources that help Key Club service projects reach their full potential.  

This year, the Children’s Fund awarded Youth Opportunities Fund grants to 43 Key Clubs around the world — 25 of them totaling US$1,000 or more. Of all the projects receiving grants, more than half provided essential supplies to vulnerable people in clubs’ communities. Some projects helped clubs improve their schools, transforming them into better places to learn. Others supported Key Club members in mentoring younger students. And some projects stood out for focusing on fun and creative events. 

The following, in no particular order, are the top 15 projects as determined by representatives of the Key Club International Board and the Children’s Fund: 

ElevateEd: STEM in the Himalayas
Key Club of Kathmandu, Nepal
With a series of code camps and robotics workshops, the Key Club of Kathmandu is bringing a practical approach to STEM education into Nepal’s secondary schools. Led by Key Club members and volunteers with expertise in STEM fields, the workshops will help students of all backgrounds apply concepts they have learned in class to hands-on projects. In addition to developing vital skills in scientific fields, participants will learn teamwork and how to present their projects in exhibitions. 

“Key to Sweet Dreams” Bedtime Kits
Key Club of Boyd County High School, Kentucky, U.S.
Every year, the Key Club of Boyd County collects donations and holds drives to gather enough new sheets, blankets, mattress covers, pillows, stuffed animals, books, night-lights, alarm clocks and hygiene products to make 125-250 “bedtime kits.” Their partner organization, Ashland Build-A-Bed, then builds a corresponding number of twin beds and purchases mattresses for children ages 2-18 in the five-county area. The Boyd County High School Key Club founded this project in 2019, and this is the fourth time it has received a Youth Opportunities Fund grant.  

Blankets From Mae
Key Club of Melvindale High School, Michigan, U.S.
In cooperation with the Kiwanis Club of Dearborn and other area Key Clubs, the Key Club of Melvindale High School has set a goal to make 350 blankets to donate to University of Michigan Health Infusion Services. Chemotherapy and infusion treatments can take multiple hours, and the club’s handmade blankets will make the experience more comfortable for patients. The “Blankets From Mae” project is named for a club member’s mother, who receives infusions at that location. 

Helping the Homeless Initiative
Key Club of Hagerty High School, Florida, U.S.
The Key Club of Hagerty High School aims to help the unhoused population in its community by collecting donations of food, toiletries and other essentials — such as blankets and clothes — and distributing them via local shelters. Club members also will make sandwiches for the shelters. In addition to helping those in need, the club hopes to educate classmates about homelessness and compassion. 

Walk for Clean Water
Key Club of Hershey High School, Pennsylvania, U.S.
The Key Club of Hershey High School is doing its part to end the global water crisis by partnering with Thirst Project in its Walk for Clean Water. Participants walk 3.75 miles — the same average distance women and children walk in many developing areas of the world to reach the nearest source of water. Funds raised via the Walk for Clean Water will go toward constructing clean wells in the Kingdom of Eswatini.  

Care Kits For Kids
Key Club of Desert Oasis High School, Nevada, U.S.
The Key Club of Desert Oasis High School is focusing on helping youth experiencing homelessness in Las Vegas. The club will assemble different types of care kits — hygiene kits containing travel-sized toiletries; holiday gift kits with items such as phone chargers, journals, blankets, socks and more; and snack kits containing canned meats, fruit, granola bars, chips and juice— to offer care, support and hope to young people. The club will donate kits to local homeless and youth centers. 

Fulfilling Need With Seeds
Key Club of Fruita Monument High School, Colorado, U.S.
The Key Club of Fruita Monument High School is partnering with the Mesa Club, which designs and builds projects, to establish a hydroponic gardening system at its school. By caring for the garden, students will learn sustainable gardening techniques, leadership skills and responsibility. The club will donate the freshly grown garden produce to families of fellow students in need and to local food banks. 

Growing Together Garden
Key Club of Sharon High School, Massachusetts, U.S.
The Key Club of Sharon High School is turning a designated plot in a local community garden into a space where students can join with other community members to learn about sustainable gardening and grow fresh produce. A portion of the food grown in the garden will be donated to local food banks and shelters. The club hopes the garden will become “a vibrant, sustainable and educational resource.” 

Life Skills Prom
Key Club of Kewanee High School, Illinois, U.S.
Each year, the Key Club of Kewanee High School holds a prom for students with disabilities in the school’s Life Skills program. In recent years, club members have invited students from neighboring school districts as well. Many of these students are not able to attend the school’s official prom, which occurs on a Saturday evening, so the Life Skills Prom is held in the gym during the school day. Students’ families also attend to take pictures and watch their kids have a blast at an event geared to make them feel included. 

Lifeline Meal Packing Project
Key Club of Bay High School, Ohio, U.S.
At least 100 members of the Key Club of Bay High School will participate in a food packaging event for Project Lifeline. Participants will mix, weigh, seal and box meals in a 10-station assembly line, after which the boxes will be shipped to communities in Somalia struggling with hunger and malnutrition. 

Packages 4 Preemies
Key Club of Fiorello LaGuardia High School, New York, U.S.
When the Key Club of Fiorello LaGuardia High School learned about the challenges of finding clothes and supplies small enough for premature babies and caring for preemies as they grow, members knew they had to help. Throughout the year, the club will collect care items for premature babies and raise funds for the babies’ families. Club members will package the items and attach handwritten messages of care and encouragement.  

Homeless Care Pac-KEY-ges
Key Club of Piedmont Hills High School, California, U.S.
The Key Club of Piedmont Hills High School plans to purchase enough supplies, including shelf-stable food and personal hygiene items, to make 100 care packages for people experiencing homelessness. Club members will hold a service event to assemble the packages, which they will donate to local shelters. 

Suzy Foundation Walk
Key Club of Tempe Union High School, Arizona, U.S.
The Key Club of Tempe Union High School plans to raise funds for the Suzy Foundation, which provides medical equipment for children with disabilities, with a carnival located around the school’s athletic track. Attendees will be able to purchase food and play fun games. The Suzy Foundation is named for a current student in the Tempe Union High School district.  

The Nepean Annual Spaghetti Dinner
Key Club of Nepean High School, Ontario, Canada
The Key Club of Nepean High School’s annual spaghetti dinner event serves two purposes. First, it raises funds for the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario via a silent auction of items donated by local businesses. It also welcomes the incoming class of new students and their families with a delicious dinner, engaging them in the school community for the first time. 

Members of the Clackamas High School Key Club sort donations at their Winter Blitz eventWinter Blitz 2023
Key Club of Clackamas High School, Oregon, U.S.
The Key Club of Clackamas High School (left), teams up with the Key Club of Adrienne C. Nelson High School for its Winter Blitz project to collect essential items — including food, clothing, furniture, toiletries and toys — for local families in need. The project has been held each winter for the past 26 years. It helped 631 families last year alone. 

How to get involved
Does your Key Club have a project idea that could benefit from a Youth Opportunities Fund grant? Learn more about the grant and how to apply on the Key Club website. If your Kiwanis club does not yet sponsor a Key Club, learn about the advantages of chartering one today on the Kiwanis Service Leadership Programs page. 

Kiwanis’ global impact in 2023

Kiwanis’ global impact in 2023

Dec 20, 2023 | Fundraising, News, Service Leadership Programs | 2 comments

Check out some of Kiwanis’ biggest moments this year.

By Sarah Moreland

Making a difference
Kiwanians all around the world did what we do best: helping others. Members in Barbados provided opportunities to play for kids of all abilities. Further north, Kiwanians in Pennsylvania, U.S., provided disaster relief for 45 people displaced by a fire. Canadian volunteers collaborated with Kiwanians in Iceland to distribute bicycle helmets to kids, and members across Europe have continued to provide relief supplies to Ukrainian refugees (pictured above).

Volunteers’ impact is seen in the lives of kids and communities everywhere. Brooke Moreland, whose family was homeless when she joined Key Club International, credits Key Club for giving her the skills and confidence to pursue her doctorate degree. And a Kiwanis meeting helped “Reggie” Regino save a life.

The best of the best
More than 400 clubs across 42 districts vied for one of the top spots in the 2023 Signature Service Project Contest. Impactful winning projects ranged from programs that empower single mothers to a free children’s health clinic to a reading hub created to eliminate the post-pandemic literacy gap. See the full list of winners.  

Enter the 2024 Signature Service Project Contest! The submission period is now open.

The power of community
We do more good together — and that’s why Kiwanis members joined members of Lions Clubs International, Optimist International and Rotary International to serve even more people, families and neighborhoods. See how Kiwanians from around the world — from India and Canada to the Cayman Islands and the United States — participated in the third annual Celebrate Community week this past September.

Supporting youth leaders
Seven outstanding Key Club International seniors and Circle K International members were recognized with Kiwanis Children’s Fund scholarships — out of an applicant field of more than 450 students. Meet each of this year’s deserving student leaders.

Applications for 2024 scholarships are now open! Encourage eligible Key Club and CKI students to apply by February 1.

A day to give
Our inaugural Kiwanis Day of Giving raised more than US$56,000 — exceeding our initial goal and impacting more than 25,000 kids! Thank you for your support!

Mark your calendars for Kiwanis Day of Giving 2024: On February 21, we aim to raise US$75,000 to reach 30,000 kids. Join us to help kids on this special day!

Helping where it’s needed most
The Kiwanis Children’s Fund helped the Kiwanis family reach more kids in 2023, with a record 183 grants and scholarships awarded throughout the year. The Children’s Fund also added a new opportunity with the introduction of the Microgrant Program. For clubs with 35 members or fewer, the program offers a chance to apply for grants of US$250-$1,000. Meanwhile, the Children’s Fund continued the Kiwanis family’s support for the fight against maternal and neonatal tetanus — with a US$275,000 grant to UNICEF in October.

A global celebration
More than 1,500 Kiwanis members from 49 districts celebrated another year of service to kids and communities at the 2023 Kiwanis International Convention in Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S. Hundreds of members also participated virtually. Kiwanians heard from inspirational speakers, elected Kiwanis’ new leaders and renewed their commitment to help even more kids in their communities.

Save the date! The 2024 Kiwanis International Convention will be held in Denver, Colorado, U.S., July 3-6.

And that’s not all! Our Kiwanis Service Leadership Programs saw successes too!

Key Club International
Our program for high school students continues to grow — with more than 220,000 members globally! Student leaders gathered in Anaheim, California, U.S., in July for the annual Key Club International convention, where they further improved their leadership skills, learned how to help others through Key Club’s service partners and elected the 2023-24 board, led by President Kyle Hanson of the Pacific Northwest District. Key Club members also continue to raise money for Start Strong: Zambia, a fundraising campaign with UNICEF to support early childhood education in the southeastern African nation.

Save the date: Key Club turns 100 in 2025! Ask your sponsored Key Club how you can help commemorate the historic milestone — or charter a new Key Club in honor of the anniversary.

Circle K International
CKI, our program for college and university students, held its 2023 convention in Minneapolis in tandem with the Kiwanis International convention. Delegates elected Zak Kahn of the New England District to serve as 2023-24 Circle K International president. Attendees participated in workshops about CKI projects and initiatives, including its newest: Brick x Brick, in partnership with UNICEF USA. CKI has, to date, raised more than US$72,000 for Brick x Brick, which supports sustainability, education and empowerment for families in the African nation of Côte d’Ivoire.

CKI will again join Kiwanis in Denver in July 2024 for its concurrent convention.

(2023-24 Circle K International President Zak Kahn and 2023-24 Key Club International President Kyle Hanson)

Here’s to more service, more smiles and more fun in 2024!

Annual “Chocolate Walk” fundraiser makes a big impact

Annual “Chocolate Walk” fundraiser makes a big impact

Nov 15, 2023 | Fundraising | 1 comment

A Kiwanis club makes use of its hometown’s renown for an event that’s sweet and scenic.

By Tony Knoderer 

The Kiwanis Club of Lititz Area in Pennsylvania, U.S., raised more than US$90,000 for local kids in October during its 22nd Chocolate Walk. Each year, the club works with chocolate makers big and small to provide treats to attendees. This year, more than 2,000 people bought tickets that allowed them to walk throughout Lititz, gathering goodies from 33 chocolatiers and chefs. 

One reason for the event’s success, says club member Charlie Stickler, is the town itself. 

“Lititz is known as one of the best small towns in America,” Stickler says. “It’s a well-visited tourist area.” 

A scenic small town is a nice place to hold an event where people walk around on an autumn day. It’s also a good place to build an event that people return to year after year — even when the weather doesn’t cooperate. 

“We had rain most of the day,” Stickler says. “But most people, rain or shine, they’re there.” 

Keep ’em coming
After more than two decades, the event’s reputation precedes it. The Chocolate Walk is usually held in the first half of October, with tickets on sale in July. This year, Stickler says, the club had sold out by mid-September.   

That success keeps the chocolatiers — as well as sponsors and partners — coming back. 

“The businesses here say it’s the second or third busiest day in town because of the draw,” Stickler says.  

Of course, a sizable event requires a large number of volunteers to run smoothly — especially for a club with not quite 30 members. This year the Lititz club got help from more than 200 people, including members of the local Key Clubs the Kiwanians sponsor. 

From near and far
At this point, the size and success of the Chocolate Walk attracts people from beyond Lititz itself. In fact, Stickler says, the Chocolate Walk attracts visitors from 16 to 20 other U.S. states every year. 

“A woman called me from New Mexico and asked about tickets,” he says. “She said her family figured, since they were on their way to a family reunion east of us, they might as well try to go to this event they’d heard about.” 

Thanks to the event’s success, the Lititz club has donated funds to several local organizations, such as the Schreiber Center for Pediatric Development, Lancaster Cleft Pallet Clinic and the Lititz and Manheim Township Libraries.

How they do it

The Lititz Kiwanis Club doesn’t have a huge number of members — but that doesn’t stop them from having a big impact. Here are some elements of the Chocolate Walk that could help your club’s signature project. 

  • Planning. The club starts planning each year’s Chocolate Walk in January, with monthly meetings that focus on the event. The key, Stickler says, is to keep members in touch with sponsors, partners and volunteers throughout the year. 
  • Recruiting. Members are reminded to talk about Kiwanis. In fact, the club has cards that feature Kiwanis and what members do — and invites people to attend a meeting.  
  • Town renown. Lititz itself is an attraction, so the club maximizes its fundraiser’s appeal by making it a “walk” — rather than restricting the event to one place. And with the town’s history as the home of Wilbur Chocolate, the club builds on a foundation of local renown. What’s your town’s biggest industry or claim to fame? 
  • Sponsors and partners. Fundraisers cost money. The Kiwanis Club of Lititz Area offsets the expense with sponsorships — everyone from the Ford dealer to insurance companies and local retailers. The “stations” along the walk range from shops to the Lititz Historical Foundation building. 
  • SLPs. Sponsoring and maintaining a bond with a Service Leadership Program club results in eager volunteers for the Lititz club. Even during homecoming weekend, Stickler says, the Manheim Township Key Club provided 15 to 20 volunteers. 
  • Add-on events. The success of the Chocolate Walk has encouraged the club to try smaller fundraisers with similar themes — including the Pretzel Fest and a wine-and-chocolate tasting, which cumulatively raise another $20,000 per year.