This African proverb best illustrates the vision of Kiwanis International which has as its stated mission: “Kiwanis is a global organization of volunteers dedicated to improving the world one child and one community at a time.”
What is Kiwanis and what does it do?
Kiwanis came into existence in Detroit, Michigan, in 1915. Its founders, two businessmen named Allen Browne and Joseph Prance, wanted to develop a group that was like no other organization. They desired to promote good fellowship, service, and to help understand and find solutions to the many problems facing local communities. One of their earliest and most noteworthy projects was providing aid to families of the 1917 Spanish Flu epidemic.
Since its founding, Kiwanis has grown to be the largest and oldest youth service organization in the world with over 367,000 members worldwide. Today it also provides programs for adults with disabilities and is in a partnership with UNICEF.
Through its global community of clubs, Kiwanis, as its motto states, is dedicated to serving children of the world. On average, Kiwanis clubs sponsor 150,000 service projects and raise more than $100,000,000 each year to support community causes.
The Kiwanis Club of Greater Monroe, established in April 2018, supports and assists Monroe school students in many of their service endeavors through the Key Club at Monroe Township High School and the Builders Club for students at the middle school level.
As we have been able to interact with several of the students and staff in our local schools, it is especially gratifying to see that many young people in our community are dedicated to serving others who are in need. Their involvement in the Kiwanis club service projects helps them develop leadership skills, which will serve them well in the future.
Although Kiwanis of Greater Monroe is a fairly young club, we are proud of the many service projects we have undertaken. Some of our fundraising projects have enabled us to help families with food insecurity during COVID-19 by giving funds to RISE in Hightstown, NJ Jewish Family Services in Monroe, and the Presbyterian Church in Jamesburg.
Additionally, we have awarded scholarships to Monroe students, and provided computers and books to the Jamesburg Elementary School.
We are always interested in welcoming new members, so if you are interested in supporting the young people of our community please consider Kiwanis. Remember, “It takes a village to raise a child.”
For more information, contact Lin Friedman, secretary, at linannlane@gmail.com.
Kathy DiGiovanna
Kiwanis of Greater Monroe
