by Charles Simmins

Created on: February 23, 2010

Lions Clubs International is the world's largest service organization, according to their website. While the Clubs date from 1917, their charitable arm is newer. The Lions Clubs International Foundation (LCIF) was founded in 1968.

After fifty years of providing service to their local communities, through labor and fund raising, Lions realized that they could take the next step and offer service by addressing global problems. That was the beginning of the Lions Clubs International Foundation. LCIF offers a local Lions Club, or a district or multiple district, the ability to take on projects of such a size and scale that no one club could ever finance them. Their

mission statement reads:

“To support the efforts of Lions clubs worldwide in serving their local communities and the world community as they carry out essential humanitarian service projects ”

The primary challenge for all Lions was first delivered by Helen Keller in 1925 when she called on the organization and its members to become “knights of the blind in the crusade against darkness”. That continues to be the primary focus of both the local Lions Clubs and the LCIF.

LCIF, through several programs titled “SightFirst”, has raised funds and provided funding for preventing blindness and improving eye care throughout the world. According to their website, they have paid for 7.6 million cataract surgeries and prevented over 30 millions cases of early blindness.

LCIF also is involved with disabilities. They have worked with the Special Olympic to provide vision testing and eyeglasses for athletes. They have funded a program that provides financial assistance to people with hearing loss for low cost or free hearing aids. Through a partnership with Habitat for Humanity, LCIF has helped construct over 1,000 houses.

The Lions Clubs International Foundation offers both disaster and major catastrophe grants. Those funds are at work now in the earthquake stricken nation of Haiti, and they were made available for relief efforts after Hurricane Katrina, the September 11 attacks, the Southeast Asia tsunami and the Chinese earthquake. LCIF makes funds available to local Lions Clubs and partner charities wherever and whenever the money is needed.

As a charity, the Lions Clubs International Foundation is highly rated by groups that track the effectiveness of the groups in that field. According the the website Charity Navigator, 78.4% of all funds go to programs.That same website shows the Navigator, 78.4% of all funds go to programs. The Kiwanis International Foundation, for comparison, uses 64.7% of its funds for programs.

LCIF is passing 100% of the donations it receives for Haitian earthquake relief straight through to programs. All admin costs are being paid by interest from endowed investments. Over $2 million has been raised and donations continue to be received.

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