KIWANIS SUPPORTS PRESIDENT’S NATIONAL SERVICE INITIATIVE

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. (June 17, 2009) – Kiwanis International is adding its 600,000-member voice to President Obama’s call for a nationwide service initiative, a sustained, collaborative and focused effort to meet community needs and to make service a way of life for Americans.

“For nearly 100 years, Kiwanis members and clubs have volunteered to help children in their communities and around the world,” said Don Canaday, Kiwanis International president. “We are proud today to join in this national service initiative, which in this economic downturn, makes service and volunteering more important than ever.”

Founded in 1915, Kiwanis and its family of programs—Circle K International, Key Club International, Builders Club, K Kids, Kiwanis Junior and Aktion Club— annually volunteer millions of hours and collect and donate US$100 million to strengthen communities and serve children.

The service initiative, United We Serve, which kicks off June 22 at the National Conference on Volunteering and Service, will span 81 days, or just under 12 weeks, culminating with a National Day of Service and Remembrance on Sept. 11, 2009. The day will serve to recognize the summer’s accomplishments, but also to honor those who died on Sept. 11, 2001, by serving in their memory and encouraging other Americans to make an ongoing commitment to service.

“As busy as they are, across the country, people are looking for ways to help their neighbors and communities,” said Canaday, of Fishers, Ind. “This program provides the opportunity to put their passion and commitment into action in a way that regular jobs don’t allow.”

In announcing the service initiative, Obama said it would empower Americans to take part in the economic recovery by:

• Promoting clean energy, energy efficiency and restoring public lands.
• Supporting education and literacy for all Americans.
• Increasing access to health care, public health awareness and prevention.
• Providing community renewal to areas hard hit by the economic turndown.

In his call, Obama urges helping put volunteers on a path to service; asking volunteers to become organizers to help identify needs in their communities, and to develop their own service projects; providing easy to use tools to help volunteers develop service projects, then to set goals and rack outcomes; and developing partnerships with broad-based groups to increase participation and benefit.

“We have 600,000 youth and adult members ready to respond to the president’s service initiative,” said Canaday, “to provide support, service and leadership, to help when and where we can.”

Kiwanis clubs and organizations are already engaged in service in their communities, but the international organization is issuing a call to increase service and projects where possible. Among planned projects is a fund and awareness raiser to benefit the Children’s Miracle Network, provided by members of Key Club International, Kiwanis’ high school organization, as part of their annual convention in Dallas in July.

In Florida, Kiwanis Clubs are planning a Christmas in July event to address the needs of children who are homeless and in need. Additionally, members of Circle K International (CKI), Kiwanis’ college and university-aged club, are planning a Large Scale Service Project as part of their annual convention in Birmingham in August. Projects include helping build wheelchair ramps to ensure access for disabled children and families.

“Many of Kiwanis’ programs mirror the president’s call to action, including our Read Around the World project, where members read to and provide books to children,” said Canaday. “We also have clubs that spearhead heath fairs and teach about child health and safety.

“But we happily join this initiative to identify even more ways Kiwanis can help. We have 600,000 members who daily share their time, talent and treasure to help others, especially children, and we look forward to doing what we can to support this initiative.”

For more information about Kiwanis, or how to get involved with a Kiwanis club or organization in your community, please call 800-549-2647, ext. 411, or visit www.kiwanis.org.