NASHVILLE, Tennessee, June 28 /PRNewswire/ --

In 1994, Kiwanis International made a pledge to help protect children from the scourges of Iodine Deficiency Disorders in its first Worldwide Service Project. Now, with the majority of the world's children protected against IDD, Kiwanis is inviting organizations, institutions and individuals to propose a project to become the global service organization's second worldwide service initiative.

We live today in a world of need, said Kiwanis International President Don Canaday, of Fishers, Ind. People suffer debilitating and deadly diseases that need treatment or cure. Children live in poverty and go hungry, absent access to education, help and hope.

Today more than ever Kiwanis is needed to help ensure that families and children have food, clean water, a safe and secure shelter, said Canady.

Solutions, Canaday added, will require many hands, many nations, many years, but small differences can set in motion a cascade of significant change.

One hand outstretched becomes two becomes four, becomes eight. Borders, boundaries and cultures are crossed and change becomes a cause, a commitment and, eventually, a cure, said Canaday.

In 1994, Kiwanis committed to help protect children against IDD, the leading preventable cause of lifelong mental and physical disabilities. Today, the organization, with its 8,000 clubs in 70 nations and geographic areas, is taking the next step in its journey to change the world for children and communities -- Kiwanis is asking its members and others to propose its next Worldwide Service Project.

Kiwanis has achieved its goal to virtually eradicate Iodine Deficiency Disorders, said Rob Parker, CEO of Kiwanis International. Today, our partner in that effort, UNICEF (United Nations Children's Fund) estimates the number of households consuming iodized salt has jumped from 20 percent in 1990 to more than 70 percent today.

There remain a few pockets of need and we will remain vigilant to keep moving that needle upward, but it's time now to begin to identify the next Worldwide Service Project where the helping hands of Kiwanis can help improve the life of children and communities, said Parker.

Kiwanis' Worldwide Service Project is a directed program that engages all of its youth and adult members to make a positive difference in the world by helping children in need.

Proposals, due by Oct. 1, 2009, are invited from members, organizations, agencies and institutions. Project criteria include:

- Involve a child-focused issue or problem - Be compelling and relevant - Involve both a global and a local level of participation and impact - Include hands-on service and fundraising - Address a virtually solvable problem or issue - Support Kiwanis membership growth - Lead to life-changing experiences

Make recommendations via the Kiwanis International Web site at: www.kiwanis.org/wsp. Please provide the following in your proposal:

- Describe your project and how it matches the criteria (500 words or less) - How does the project align with Kiwanis' mission? (200 words or less) - How can youth participate in the project? (200 words or less) - What percentage of the project involves hands-on service? (100 words or less) - What percentage of the project involves fundraising? (100 words or less)

Kiwanis will accept nominations until Oct. 1, 2009, and will announce its second Worldwide Service Project in June 2010 at the organization's 95th annual convention in Las Vegas.

About Kiwanis International

Founded in 1915, Kiwanis is a global organization of volunteers dedicated to changing the world one child and one community at a time. Kiwanis International and its service leadership programs for young people, including Circle K, Key Club, Key Leader, Builders Club, K-Kids, Kiwanis Junior and Aktion Club dedicate more than 19 million volunteer hours and invest US$100 million to strengthen communities and serve children annually. The Kiwanis International family comprises 600,000 adult and youth members in 70 countries and geographic areas. For more information about Kiwanis International, please visit www.kiwanis.org.

Joedy Isert, +1-317-217-6171, C: +1-229-942-5323, jisert@kiwanis.org, or Kristian Little, +1-317-217-6176, klittle@kiwanis.org, both of Kiwanis International