History

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The San Diego Kiwanis Club Foundation was founded in 1953 by, and to support San Diego’s original Kiwanis Club, which formed 33 years earlier in 1920.

Since 2000, the Foundation/Club have distributed over $5 million in grants and scholarships, equating to ~$8 million in today-equivalent dollars.  Currently, the foundation is distributing ~$250,000/year to youth and young-adult focused non-profits as well as scholarships for local San Diego high school students attending San Diego’s major universities. 

In addition, the Foundation serves as the annual Presenting Sponsor of the Laurels for Leaders event, which annually aggregates and honors/rewards the Associated Student Body Presidents from every public, private and charter High School across the entire San Diego County region.

The Club/Foundation’s original visionary contribution was a today-equivalent $1.1MM as a primary funder toward establishment of the San Diego region’s initial Children’s Hospital, now relocated and renamed Rady Children’s Hospital.

Other impactful contributions include grants to the SD YMCA, Boys & Girls Club of SD and funding the Youth Meeting Room at the City of San Diego’s Central Library. In addition, major program funding has been provided for community impact non-profits such as the SD Food Bank, Burn Institute, New Children’s Museum, the SD River Park, Fleet Science Center, Boys to Men, and Just in Time for Foster Youth.

The Foundation has provided grants to many worth recipient organizations including: 

AJA Project
Assistance League Greater San Diego
Audubon San Diego

Boys and Girls Club of Greater San Diego

Boys to Men Mentoring Network

Burn Institute 

California State Games
Coastal Roots Farm
ECOLIFE Conservation

Foundation for the Children of the Californias

Habitat for Humanity

Home of Guiding Hands

I Love a Clean San Diego County, Inc.
International Relief Teams

International Rescue Committee
Just in Time for Foster Youth (JIT)

MAAC Metropolitan Area Advisory Committee on Anti-Poverty of San Diego County Inc.

Monarch School Project

New Children's Museum

Oncology + Kids
Partners Therapeutic Horsemanship
Rady Children's Hospital

Rancho De Sus Ninos, Inc. DBA The Mission, Inc.
Reality Changers

Ronald McDonald House Charities of San Diego

Salvation Army San Diego

San Diego Children's Discovery Museum  

San Diego Food Bank

San Diego Futures Foundation

San Diego River Park Foundation

SEAL-NSW Family Foundation

STAR/PAL

Survivors of Suicide Loss
Traveling Stories
UPLIFT

Urban Corps of San Diego County

Vida Joven

Voices for Children

The IRS Form 990 for the San Diego Kiwanis Club Foundation is available for review by appointment during regular business hours at 3276 Rosecrans Avenue, Suite 202, San Diego, California.