Meeting the needs of a community or school requires some research and effective projects. This could be a fundraising project to support a school’s needs, planting flowers at a nursing home or making cards for sick children. Whatever service or fundraising projects a club chooses, there are many resources to help.
Kiwanis International empowers people at every stage of life to become competent, capable and compassionate leaders by helping them learn to help others. Through its Service Leadership Programs, Kiwanis teaches leaders new ways to change the world by serving one child and one community at a time.
We define service leadership as a vital step in service learning. Once a person fully understands the concept of learning by helping others, he or she begins to grow personally as a leader.
The service leadership concept is based on the philosophy of “servant leadership,” a term coined by Robert K. Greenleaf to define a leader who is servant first. “It begins with the natural feeling that one wants to serve, to serve first,” Greenleaf wrote. “Then conscious choice brings one to aspire to lead.”
Community service resources:
Philosophy of Servant Leadership
Teaching members the importance of philanthropy and giving back to the community is another aspect of service. Hosting a fundraiser is a way for members to participate in a philanthropic activity-and have fun doing it. Clubs can plan, organize and execute a fundraiser to help a local charity, a Kiwanis preferred charity, to cover some of the club’s expenses or to support the Kiwanis Children’s Fund’s efforts.
To have a successful year in fundraising, consider organizing a committee and appointing a committee chairman. This allows a team of club members to devote its attention to developing and carrying out fundraising projects.
Steps for effective fundraising:
Looking for some ideas for a fantastic fundraiser? Here are some to get you started.
Talent show
Host a talent show at your school. It can be a school-wide event in which everyone is invited to participate. Incorporate a television show theme, recruit fun judges and award prizes at the end. Be sure to check with your school’s administrator for approval.
Miracle mile of quarters
Determine the cause that will receive the funds donated and advertise the project. Make paper quarters or use tokens to represent each 25 cents donated. Create a line of paper quarters or tokens, starting at one end of the school building making its way to the other end of the building. Be sure to tell everyone the goal for the project and the end date. This is an easy project to do on an ongoing basis.
Pancake breakfast
Reserve the school cafeteria to serve a pancake breakfast on a weekend. Sell tickets ahead of time and advertise early. This can be a high profit fundraiser and is a great event to work together with the sponsoring Kiwanis club or local Kiwanis-family clubs. Be sure to check with your school’s administrator for approval.
Aluminum Cans
Collect cans and flatten them in a race to see who can collect the most for the recycling center. The money from the center can be used to treat contest winners to prizes and to purchase recycling containers for the school.
Provide recycling containers at the cafeteria exits so students can discard aluminum cans. Once a month, take the cans to the recycling center. Store the cans in a trailer or bin outside the school.
Birthday Kits
At the beginning of the school year, send a direct mail order to students’ parents, selling “birthday kits.” The Builders Club can deliver birthday cakes, donuts, cookies, balloons or something similar to students celebrating birthdays. If the club does a one-time sale, it alleviates an ongoing problem of accurate ordering. This project would require strong committee organization and reliable volunteers.
Buttons
During sporting events, sell buttons with pictures of athletes in uniform.
Want more ideas? Download our Fundraising Tips and Ideas Guide that has over seven pages of fundraising ideas!