Kiwanis is a global organiation of volunteers dedicated to changing the world one child and one community at a time. (Kiwanis defining statement, adopted October 2004).

Founded in 1915 in Detroit and with headquarters now in Indianapolis, Kiwanis International is a thriving organization of service- and community-minded individuals who support children and young adults around the world. More than 600,000 Kiwanis-family members in 96 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."

Guiding Objectives

The six permanent Objects of Kiwanis International were approved by Kiwanis club delegates at the 1924 Convention in Denver, Colorado. Through the succeeding decades, they have remained unchanged. To:

1. give primacy to the human and spiritual
   rather than to the material values of life.
2. encourage the daily living of the Golden
   Rule in all human relationships.
3. promote the adoption and the application of
   higher social, business, and professional
   standards.
4. develop, by precept and example, a more
   intelligent, aggressive, and serviceable citi
   zenship.
5. provide, through Kiwanis clubs, a practical means to form enduring friendships, to render altruistic service, and to build better communities.
6. cooperate in creating and maintaining that sound public opinion and high idealism which make possible the increase of righteousness, justice, patriotism, and goodwill.