International Service Initatives
CKI is committed to changing the world through service. While our clubs work on a variety of service project in communities, we focus our work around four major areas: Homelessness and food insecurity; childhood development, mental health and environmental justice.
Childhood Development
CKI members are committed to preparing children of all backgrounds to grow into caring members of the global community.
- School supplies drives for children experiencing financial hardships.
- Classroom wish lists or “adopting a classroom” in need.
- Distribute food backpacks in partnership with the Kiwanis Family.
- Mentorship programs with the Kiwanis Family for local children.
- Book drives to collect and distribute books to support child literacy.
- Advocate for children to increase awareness through education.
Environmental Justice
CKI members are passionate about combating the global climate crisis through advocacy, promotion of sustainable lifestyles, service projects, etc.
- Design and create reusable bags to reduce the use of plastic bags.
- Beautify local parks by hosting a park clean-up day.
- Create a community garden to encourage restoration and conservation.
- Recycle household goods by collecting donations for thrift stores.
- Educate about recycling guidelines in your municipality.
- Create a composting guide and distribute to students on campus.
Food Insecurity and Homelessness
CKI members are dedicated to reducing food waste and contributing to the equitable distribution of food and shelter.
- Host food drives to promote awareness for local shelters.
- Make hats, scarfs or blankets for homeless shelters.
- Clothing and hygiene drive for local homeless shelters.
- Habitat for Humanity offers many local volunteer opportunities.
- Distribute food backpacks with the K-Fam at a local school.
- Create community gardens to learn about sustainable growing.
Mental Health
CKI members are committed to promoting self-care while spreading awareness and breaking down stigmas about mental health issues.
- Create educational materials for children on mental health
- Volunteer at local offices like The National Alliance on Mental Illness
- Social media campaigns to promote awareness and fundraise.
- Promote wellness activities for friends and family through activity.
- Create Mental Health Day posters on chosen mental health topics!
- Host a stress less event leading into midterms and finals.
International Preferred Charities
Preferred Charities are nonprofits that Kiwanis has developed a special long-term partnership with to provide assistance, both through direct and indirect service. Usually, preferred charities create special service opportunities for each category of the Kiwanis Family. Districts and clubs may also choose preferred service partners that help guide and focus the service efforts of the group.
The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) is the only organization of the United Nations dedicated exclusively to children. Working with other United Nations bodies, governments and non-governmental organizations, UNICEF helps to provide for children’s needs in more than 150 developing countries through community-based services in primary health care, basic education and safe water and sanitation.
Global Brigades is an international nonprofit that offers members affordable service opportunities to volunteer virtually from home or abroad.The Global Brigades model systematically builds community ownership and collaboratively executes programs with the end goal of sustainably transitioning to a relationship of impact monitoring.
Active Minds is the nation’s leading nonprofit organization supporting mental health awareness and education for young adults. Powered by a network of more than 800 high school and college campuses, in workplaces and communities, and through a vast public audience, Active Minds is creating communities of support and saving lives.
Circle K International is thrilled to announce a new project, in partnership with UNICEF USA called Brick x Brick. UNICEF USA has partnered with a Colombian, family-run social enterprise, Conceptos Plasticos, to create a women-led recycling market that will convert Côte d’Ivoire’s plastic waste into safe and durable low-cost building materials. The money you raise for this project will help women create sustainable recycling networks to collect plastic waste that will be manufactured into bricks. These bricks will be used to build classrooms for some of the 1.6 million children – mostly girls – who are currently out of school in Côte d’Ivoire. We will contribute to a cleaner planet, alleviate poverty for families, and provide safe spaces for children to learn and play.
Why this project? As the WASH project neared its conclusion, the CKI Board developed Brick x Brick with three of our existing service initiatives – childhood development, environmental justice and alleviating food insecurity and homelessness – making it a perfect fit.
Other Kiwanis Family Partners
March of Dimes
March of Dimes and Kiwanis clubs work together to make a positive impact in the lives of babies everywhere. Since the 1940s and today, Kiwanis members continue service to support March of Dimes all year long by hosting service projects, raising funds and educating communities about the crisis of premature birth. Premature birth is the leading cause of newborn death in the United States. Worldwide, more than 1 million children die each year due to complications of premature birth. Generations of Kiwanians serving as volunteer leaders for the March of Dimes bring experience and passion to help moms and babies in their communities and across the nation.
March for Babies – A great way to support March of Dimes is by participating in its largest annual fundraiser, March for Babies. March for Babies energizes people nationwide to unite, connect and fight for the health of every family, especially families of color who are at higher risk. Clubs can set fundraising goals, attend MFB events, or even host a MFB community walk.
November Prematurity Awareness Month – Throughout November and on World Prematurity Day, Nov. 17, Kiwanis supports the March of Dimes by raising awareness of the seriousness of premature birth. Members are encouraged to wear purple to their November meetings, join local March of Dimes awareness events, and host a guest speaker to share their prematurity story.
Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF
TOT4UNICEF is the Kiwanis Family’s signature project in support of UNICEF. Halloween is about costume parties, scary moves and candy — and now it’s about something else, too: helping others. During October, your club can raise money for Brick x Brick by collecting donations instead of candy at a movie night, costume party, truck-or-treat, pumpkin carving contest, and so much more. This year, TOT for UNICEF has moved from its traditional orange boxes to scannable QR codes for door-to-door donations. However, you can still collect physical donations in the form of cash or checks. Be sure to check out the CKI website for more information and resources.