About Kiwanis

The Champion for Children

Kiwanis is a global organization of volunteers dedicated to changing the world one child and one community at a time.--Kiwanis defining statement, adopted October 2004.

Founded in 1915 in Detroit and with headquarters now in Indianapolis, Kiwanis International is a thriving organization of service- and community-minded individuals who support children and young adults around the world. More than 600,000 Kiwanis-family members in 96 countries make their mark by responding to the needs of their communities and pooling their resources to address worldwide issues. Through these efforts, Kiwanis International truly is "Serving the Children of the World."

• History Bulletin on Kiwanis (PDF)
• Kiwanis Intenational Membership Facts & Figures (PDF)
• Public Service Announcement (PDF)

Making an Impact

Guided by six permanent Objects, Kiwanis clubs view their role within their respective communities with a great deal of foresight. Key aspects to operating an effective club include:

• Evaluating both children's issues and community needs on an ongoing basis
• Conducting service projects to respond to those identified needs
• Maintaining an active membership roster of professional business people who have both the desire and the ability to serve their community

Club meetings traditionally are conducted once a week or twice a month and offer an atmosphere of fun, learning, and fellowship. In addition to attending the meetings, the typical Kiwanian volunteers each month to assist with club service projects.

Service projects often are linked to the Kiwanis program, "Young Children: Priority One." This initiative places continuing focus on the needs of children in pediatric trauma, safety, child care, early development, infant health, nutrition, and parenting skills.

Service projects also can address other needs within the community, such as working to stop substance abuse, helping the elderly, promoting literacy, supporting youth sports and recreation, responding to disasters, and supporting specific persons in need.

Kiwanis also plays a special role in developing future generations of leaders. K-Kids clubs at the elementary school level, Builders Clubs in middle school and junior highs, Key Clubs in high schools, and Circle K clubs at the collegiate level all are Kiwanis organizations that teach community service and leadership skills to young people. In addition, Aktion Clubs are made up of adults with mental and physical disabilities who enthusiastically perform service to help others.

Worldwide, the entire Kiwanis family is committed to eliminating the devastating effects of iodine deficiency disorders (IDD), the world's leading preventable cause of mental retardation. More than 1.5 billion people are at risk of suffering IDD because they do not receive enough iodine in their diet. But, because of Kiwanis' efforts, many parents who have been affected by IDD are able to watch their children grow up healthy and reach their full physical and mental potential. The results of the IDD program will benefit every future generation.

A typical Kiwanis club is a snapshot of its community, with members from all walks of life and at every step of the career ladder. They are unified in their belief that children and their communities benefit from the efforts of a proficient group of caring and involved volunteers. In a typical year, Kiwanis clubs invest more than 6.2 million hours and US$100 million in communities around the world. Through these efforts, the Kiwanis organization truly leaves a lasting impression on future generations.

Brief History of Kiwanis

The first Kiwanis club was organized in Detroit, Michigan. The group received a charter from the state of Michigan on January 21, 1915, and this is regarded as the birth date of Kiwanis.

The first clubs were organized to promote the exchange of business among the members. However, even before the Detroit club received its state charter, the members were distributing Christmas baskets to the poor. A lively debate ensued between those who supported community service as the Kiwanis mission and those who supported the exchange of business. By 1919, the service advocates won the debate.

Kiwanis became international with the organization of the Kiwanis club of Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, in 1916. Kiwanis limited its membership to the United States and Canada until 1962, when worldwide expansion was approved. Since then, Kiwanis has spread to all inhabited continents of the globe.

Kiwanis was defined as "an organization for men" in the constitution and adopted in 1924. In 1987, after several years of debate and growing support, women’s membership received overwhelming approval.

Six Canadians have served as Kiwanis International President. The first International President elected from outside the two founding nations of the US and Canada was Ian Perdriau AM from Australia, who served in 1994-95. Eyjólfur Sigurđsson of Iceland was the 1995-96 International President, and Juan F. Torres Jr., MD, of the Philippines, was president in 2002-03.

New Jersey District of Kiwanis International

The New Jersey District is a group of Clubs within the state of New Jersey. These Clubs make significant contributions to their local communities as well as many of the efforts triumphed by the International and District Organizations.

The Mission of the New Jersey District of Kiwanis International shall be to actively engage its membership in meaningful community, regional, and world service activities aimed at strengthening the Kiwanis Family, and increasing the size and diversity of its membership while protecting the integrity of the local Club.

Brief History of the New Jersey District

Kiwanis first entered the state when the Newark Club held an organizational meeting at the Robert Treat Hotel on July 21, 1916. The Club was chartered on April 26.

That Club sent Andrew C. Snyder and Albert Schurr as delegates to the first Kiwanis convention in Detroit on May 17, 1917. Snyder was elected as a Kiwanis trusee.

That fall a club was organized in Paterson.

At the time, Kiwanis did not have Districts. At the Providence Convention in 1918, a plan was drafted to form 27 districts with New Jersey divided between New York and Pennsylvania. That plan was vigorously opposed by Snyder, and after three hours of heated debate he won his point and New Jersey had its own district.

Acting upon instructions for the districts to organize their clubs, the three clubs in New Jersey (the Trenton club was also organized during this time) gathered at the Washington Restaurant in September, 1918, and the first New Jersey District Convention was called to order. After a short meeting of a nominating committee, Weston E. Goode was selected as the first District Governor. He was unanimously elected to serve during 1919. Because there were only three clubs, the delegates did not feel the need to elect other district officers.

That first convention took only about half an hour, and the only address was a short acceptance speech by the newly elected Governor.

Foundation of the New Jersey District

The Foundation of the New Jersey District of Kiwanis International is a 501(c)3 organization, and is the fund raising arm of the New Jersey District of Kiwanis International. The mission of the foundation is: to provide financial support for Kiwanis youth programs, grants, funding for special Kiwanis sponsored projects (such as the Kiwanis Pediatric Trauma Program); and, to assist young people in attaining vocational excellence.

Some of the organizations and projects funded by the Foundation are: the Kiwanis International 911 Childens' Fund; Recording for the Blind & Dyslexic; and, the Kiwanis Youth Leadership Institute.

Contributions may be made by individuals, Clubs, corporations, and foundations by contacting Jack Wilson @ 856-365-1179.

USA District Locator

If you are not from New Jersey, the USA District Locator provides a map for locating other Kiwanis Districts throughout the United States of America.

Hope For Kids

Hope For Kids is an organization of business and professional men and women, dedicated to improving the quality of life of children in our communities, country and world. Its members place special emphasis on raising funds to support the New Jersey District of Kiwanis Foundation. Its main focus is helping kids through the Foundation.

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Kiwanis Club of Mt Olive, P.O. Box 621, Budd Lake, NJ 07828, tammyj71@optonline.net

Serving Mt Olive Twp (Budd Lake and Flanders) and neighboring areas in Morris County.
Copyright © 2002-2007 Kiwanis Club of Mt Olive. All rights reserved.
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