Your donation to the Kiwanis International Foundation makes a positive difference in children's lives. We know because we've seen it happen.
Your gift to the Kiwanis Children's Fund supports grants that help the Kiwanis family serve more 125,000 children each year:
As violence erupted in 2010 near Shillong, India, and an economic blockade closed medical centers, businesses and roads throughout the area, local families were displaced from their homes and children in the rural village of Maram were no longer able to attend school. Seeing the need to help children caught in emergency situations, Kiwanians from the Texas-Oklahoma District requested a foundation grant to expand their Shillong Children's Center program, which originally could serve only seven children at a time. The thriving center now provides shelter, food, transitional education and other services for up to 30 children and family members coping with emergency situations.
A gift of $500 can enable 10 children affected by violence to live in safety for one year.
In Faribault, Minnesota, many of the low-income children who qualify for free school lunches run the risk of going hungry over the weekends when there may not be adequate food available at home. In 2010, the Kiwanis Club of Faribault received a foundation grant to continue its backpack food program, enabling them to provide 100 disadvantaged children with a backpack full of healthy food to bring home each weekend.
A gift of US$250 can provide 1,250 meals for hungry children.
Each year, the Kiwanis International Foundation grants significant funds to support Key Leader and other Kiwanis-family youth programs. These transformative experiences develop leadership skills, build lasting friendships and teach young people the value of service. Recent Key Leader participants had a lot to say about the program: "It was the absolute best experience on leadership I've ever had." "I loved getting out of my comfort zone, meeting complete strangers and becoming their friends. The camp was amazing and the weekend taught me stuff I'll use all my life!" "I really enjoyed Key Leader. It has and will change my life."
A gift of $100 can fund four scholarships for youth to attend a life-changing Key Leader event.
Join us in making a difference for thousands of children across the U.S. and around the world each year. Go to http://sites.kiwanis.org/Kiwanis/en/Foundation/Help/IndividualGiving.aspx to make an online gift -- it's easy and secure. Or download a gift or pledge form at http://sites.kiwanis.org/Kiwanis/Libraries/Foundation/Kiwanis_International_Foundation_Gift_or_Pledge_Form.sflb.ashx to give by mail or fax.
Thank you for supporting Kiwanis International's efforts to serve the children of the world, one chid and one community at a time.
Column Posted on Web Site January 22, 2013
Kiwanis is a global organization of volunteers dedicated