Kiwanis was
founded in Detroit, Michigan, on
January 21, 1915. In the early
years, Kiwanis clubs focused on
business networking, but even
then, members were serving the
needs of the poor. By 1919, the
organization had changed its
focus from business to service.
Kiwanis became an international
organization in 1916 with the
organization of the Kiwanis Club
of Hamilton, Ontario. Kiwanis
limited its membership to the
United States and Canada until
1962 when worldwide expansion
was approved. Until 1987,
Kiwanis was a male-only
organization. But after years of
debate and growing support,
women’s membership was received
overwhelmingly.
For additional
information about Kiwanis,
please follow this
link to the
international website.