Founded in 1915, Kiwanis International is a thriving organization of service and community-minded individuals who support children and young adults around the world.

More than 500,000 Kiwanis-family members in more than 80 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.”

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 childrens 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 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

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.

In a powerful community initiative, Kiwanis Clubs of Eastern Canada and the Caribbean, comprising over 8,400 men and women in 270 Kiwanis clubs have recently achieved a goal of raising nearly $1 million to support UNICEF Canada’s Unite for Children, Unite against Aids campaign in Jamaica, Guyana, and Trinidad and Tobago.

Kiwanis also plays a special role in developing future generations of leaders. K-Kids clubs at the elementary school level, Builders Clubs in public 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.

Kiwanis Club of Guelph, brief history

The Kiwanis Club of Guelph was founded in 1921. Since then, we have supported many community endeavors and been an important part of our beautiful city, helping build parks, camps and promote health, arts and well-being of children in our region.

Kiwanis Club of Guelph has been involved in the VIP (Values, Influences and Peers) program currently offered to all children in Guelph schools and managed by the Guelph Police. We are also involved in the Kiwanis Music Festival which is a tradition in our city and the club has also been an integral part of creating and maintaining Camp Belwood for special needs children.

Kiwanis and UNICEF Join Forces

Having saved millions of lives through its campaign to virtually eliminate Iodine Deficiency disorders, Kiwanis is set to battle another scourge that kills 160 children every day: maternal and neonatal tetanus.

Joining forces with UNICEF, Kiwanis and its family members will raise US$110 million to eliminate this disease that kills one baby every nine minutes! Tetanus spores are found everywhere in the air, soil and contaminated objects. Bacteria can enter a mother’s body through an open wound and pass through a newly cut umbilical cord. The effects are excruciating. Tiny newborns suffer repeated, painful convulsions and become hypersensitive to light, sound and touch. Even a mother’s soothing voice and comforting caresses are unbearable.

Kiwanis clubs in our region: