Youth Opportunities Fund grants literacy, more

Many Circle K and Key Clubs rely on endowment fund grants to help fund significant service projects.

The Key Club of Portage High School in Wisconsin, for example, put together a project they labeled “Books for Babes” to promote literacy through an early introduction to books.

To increase its success, they sought a Youth Opportunities Fund grant to purchase bulk supplies of the books Goodnight Moon, written by Margaret Wise Brown, and Robert McCloskey’s Make Way for Ducklings. The club then bound the books with literacy information and donated them to a hospital.

“Each of the bundles was given to parents of a newborn upon their discharge from the hospital,” says Alyse Friedel, club vice-president. “The club was able to purchase enough books to donate a bundle to 100 families.”

Circle K Tomorrow Fund, Key Club Youth Opportunity Fund, and Kiwanis International Foundation grants help clubs complete such projects they otherwise could not afford. The generosity of Kiwanis-family members affords Circle K and Key Clubs the opportunity to apply for such funds.

“Kiwanis clubs can support our endowment funds through contributions for Circle K volunteers through Carthage-Pullman Society honors (equivalent to a Kiwanis Hixson) and Sapphire Circle Honorary recognition (equivalent to a Kiwanis Tablet of Honor), and for Key Club volunteers through G. Harold Martin Society (equivalent to a Kiwanis Hixson),” says Gayle Webb, Kiwanis International youth funds specialist.

In addition, Kiwanis advisors should remind their youth counterparts of upcoming application deadlines:

• Key Clubs’ Youth Opportunity Fund Grant application deadline is May 15.
• Circle K’s Tomorrow Fund Grant application deadline is July 15.
• Kiwanis International Foundation Grant application deadlines are April 15, July 15, and November 15.