In April, 1978, the great American professional boxer, philanthropist, and social activist Muhammed Ali said “Service to others is the rent you pay for your room here on Earth.” This simple, yet evocative statement is at the core of our commitment, individually and as a club, to do whatever we can to improve the well-being of our community – particularly children and young adults.
Who Are Our Strategic Partners?
The Kiwanis Club of Henrico is happy to support these Henrico County non-profit, community service organizations through grants and/or with our individual and/ or group participation in their activities.
Henrico CASA trains volunteers to help our county’s most vulnerable children thrive in safe, loving homes. These skilled volunteers are called Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) because they are appointed by judges serving in the Henrico County Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court.
Advocates build a relationship with a child, gather information, and collaborate with professionals in order to make recommendations to the court. As our judges often note, these recommendations are vital to making the best decisions possible on behalf of children who experienced abuse or neglect. Since 1994, they have amplified the voices of over 4,500 local children whose voices would otherwise have gone unheard.
High School Key Clubs
We support the community service efforts of four Key Clubs which are part of Key Club International. The Kiwanis Club of Henrico’s Student Outreach Chairperson works with these student-led organizations and the Club Advisors at Deep Run High School, Douglas Freeman High School, Glen Allen High School, and JR Tucker High School to plan, implement, and evaluate regular service activities on and off campus. Members learn about themselves and develop leadership skills through hands-on experience in serving others.
Kiwanis Club of Henrico helps fund Club Officers’ participation in the Capital District Convention each Spring and offers scholarships to graduating Key Club seniors who have demonstrated an exemplary level of service and will move into their postsecondary education.
Offers free fitness programs that teach eight core life skills (goal setting, empathy, self-belief, mindfulness, self-control, positive risk taking, resilience, and honesty) to youth in low-opportunity communities. The programs serve over 8,000 children each year and are funded through a premier adult & youth race series of duathlons, triathlons, and runs) promoting fitness in all communities. We are a sponsor for each of Live Red’s events each year. Our members have helped prepare race packets, guided runners on the courses, provided post-race snacks, and photographed the races and student programs.
When middle school students participate in music, sports, and the arts, they discover new talents, grow in confidence, and develop leadership skills. However, for families in our area facing financial hardship, the cost of equipment and fees can be overwhelming. Start 1 Spark provides students with the means to participate in school extracurricular activities, igniting the students’ potential to transform the future. Kiwanis Club of Henrico helps provide Start 1 Spark with project funds; Deep Run High School Key Club makes monthly “Fuel for Fun” snack bags; Kiwanis Club members deliver game-day snack bags each week to schools in Central and Eastern Henrico.
Where Do We Volunteer?
Our Club members volunteer individually or as a Kiwanis Club of Henrico group at the following local area organizations whose missions include serving the children of Henrico County. Descriptions are taken from their websites.
Feed More – With nearly 100 employees, more than 380 distribution partners and over 200 volunteers a day, Feed More collects, prepares and distributes food to neighbors in need throughout Central Virginia.
Richmond Greek Festival – a four-day Spring celebration of Greek culture, food, music, and the arts. Each year, a portion of their proceeds are donated to local charities that serve the Central Virginia area. Kiwanis members help prepare and serve food, check IDs for wristbands, and serve as cashiers.
Hope Thrift RVA – This ministry outreach of Hope Church, sells high quality donated goods at fair prices in an attractive, welcoming retail setting to raise money to support local and global ministries.
Meals on Wheels – The Meals on Wheels program is more than a meal – it helps seniors and homebound neighbors stay independent and safe in their home. Fresh, diet-specific meals are lovingly made from scratch in Feed More’s Bayard Community Kitchen and delivered by caring volunteers weekdays from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. (excluding holidays). Along with a nutritious meal, these neighbors receive a smile and a safety check. Feed More prepares and delivers meals to about 1,000 individuals across 14 Central Virginia localities, and is a member of Meals on Wheels America.
Rise Against Hunger – Rise Against Hunger is growing a global movement to end hunger by empowering communities, nourishing lives and responding to emergencies. Their Pathways to End Hunger model aligns with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), primarily #2 Zero Hunger and #4 Quality Education. They partner with local organizations to address food insecurity in the communities they serve. Our members have participated in food-packing events.
Salvation Army’s Run for Hope – This event, with support from the Live Red Foundation, benefits the Salvation Army Red Shield Youth Center in Richmond’s East End – a place where every child can have a safe and nurturing community to call their own and participate in low to no-cost after-school programs and summer camps. Key Club and Kiwanis of Henrico members help at the race.
Shady Grove YMCA –“The mission of the YMCA is to put Christian principles into practice through programs that build healthy spirit, mind and body for all. As a nonprofit, we are committed to making our community a better place to live, work and play.” Kiwanis of Henrico has supported their LEGO Robotics’ programs and our members volunteer at their special events.
Community Service
Why Do We Do What We Do?
In April, 1978, the great American professional boxer, philanthropist, and social activist Muhammed Ali said “Service to others is the rent you pay for your room here on Earth.” This simple, yet evocative statement is at the core of our commitment, individually and as a club, to do whatever we can to improve the well-being of our community – particularly children and young adults.
Who Are Our Strategic Partners?
The Kiwanis Club of Henrico is happy to support these Henrico County non-profit, community service organizations through grants and/or with our individual and/ or group participation in their activities.
Henrico CASA
Henrico CASA trains volunteers to help our county’s most vulnerable children thrive in safe, loving homes. These skilled volunteers are called Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) because they are appointed by judges serving in the Henrico County Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court.
Advocates build a relationship with a child, gather information, and collaborate with professionals in order to make recommendations to the court. As our judges often note, these recommendations are vital to making the best decisions possible on behalf of children who experienced abuse or neglect. Since 1994, they have amplified the voices of over 4,500 local children whose voices would otherwise have gone unheard.
High School Key Clubs
We support the community service efforts of four Key Clubs which are part of Key Club International. The Kiwanis Club of Henrico’s Student Outreach Chairperson works with these student-led organizations and the Club Advisors at Deep Run High School, Douglas Freeman High School, Glen Allen High School, and JR Tucker High School to plan, implement, and evaluate regular service activities on and off campus. Members learn about themselves and develop leadership skills through hands-on experience in serving others.
Kiwanis Club of Henrico helps fund Club Officers’ participation in the Capital District Convention each Spring and offers scholarships to graduating Key Club seniors who have demonstrated an exemplary level of service and will move into their postsecondary education.
Live Red Foundation
Offers free fitness programs that teach eight core life skills (goal setting, empathy, self-belief, mindfulness, self-control, positive risk taking, resilience, and honesty) to youth in low-opportunity communities. The programs serve over 8,000 children each year and are funded through a premier adult & youth race series of duathlons, triathlons, and runs) promoting fitness in all communities. We are a sponsor for each of Live Red’s events each year. Our members have helped prepare race packets, guided runners on the courses, provided post-race snacks, and photographed the races and student programs.
Start 1 Spark
When middle school students participate in music, sports, and the arts, they discover new talents, grow in confidence, and develop leadership skills. However, for families in our area facing financial hardship, the cost of equipment and fees can be overwhelming. Start 1 Spark provides students with the means to participate in school extracurricular activities, igniting the students’ potential to transform the future. Kiwanis Club of Henrico helps provide Start 1 Spark with project funds; Deep Run High School Key Club makes monthly “Fuel for Fun” snack bags; Kiwanis Club members deliver game-day snack bags each week to schools in Central and Eastern Henrico.
Where Do We Volunteer?
Our Club members volunteer individually or as a Kiwanis Club of Henrico group at the following local area organizations whose missions include serving the children of Henrico County. Descriptions are taken from their websites.
Feed More – With nearly 100 employees, more than 380 distribution partners and over 200 volunteers a day, Feed More collects, prepares and distributes food to neighbors in need throughout Central Virginia.
Richmond Greek Festival – a four-day Spring celebration of Greek culture, food, music, and the arts. Each year, a portion of their proceeds are donated to local charities that serve the Central Virginia area. Kiwanis members help prepare and serve food, check IDs for wristbands, and serve as cashiers.
Hope Thrift RVA – This ministry outreach of Hope Church, sells high quality donated goods at fair prices in an attractive, welcoming retail setting to raise money to support local and global ministries.
Meals on Wheels – The Meals on Wheels program is more than a meal – it helps seniors and homebound neighbors stay independent and safe in their home. Fresh, diet-specific meals are lovingly made from scratch in Feed More’s Bayard Community Kitchen and delivered by caring volunteers weekdays from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. (excluding holidays). Along with a nutritious meal, these neighbors receive a smile and a safety check. Feed More prepares and delivers meals to about 1,000 individuals across 14 Central Virginia localities, and is a member of Meals on Wheels America.
Rise Against Hunger – Rise Against Hunger is growing a global movement to end hunger by empowering communities, nourishing lives and responding to emergencies. Their Pathways to End Hunger model aligns with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), primarily #2 Zero Hunger and #4 Quality Education. They partner with local organizations to address food insecurity in the communities they serve. Our members have participated in food-packing events.
Salvation Army’s Run for Hope – This event, with support from the Live Red Foundation, benefits the Salvation Army Red Shield Youth Center in Richmond’s East End – a place where every child can have a safe and nurturing community to call their own and participate in low to no-cost after-school programs and summer camps. Key Club and Kiwanis of Henrico members help at the race.
Shady Grove YMCA –“The mission of the YMCA is to put Christian principles into practice through programs that build healthy spirit, mind and body for all. As a nonprofit, we are committed to making our community a better place to live, work and play.” Kiwanis of Henrico has supported their LEGO Robotics’ programs and our members volunteer at their special events.