Beneficiaries & Partners

The Kiwanis Club of Manchester is a group of community-oriented people
dedicated to enhancing, enriching and improving the lives of children and youth in
the city. We do this through community service projects, fundraising efforts, and
partnerships with area schools and organizations.

Major Emphasis Grants (disbursed over 3-5 years):

Dental Care (125,000) An RV was purchased and equipped with state-of-the-art examination suites and X-ray technology. Over 30% of the city’s school kids benefit from this mobile clinic as this is often the only dental treatment they receive on a regular basis.
Improving Courts and Recreational Opportunities ($75,000) Funded repairs and improvements to basketball and tennis courts in parks throughout Manchester. Some of these facilities were in such a state of disrepair, that they were considered too dangerous to be used. These courts serve thousands of youths and adults on a regular basis.
Manchester Police Athletic League (MPAL) ($75,000) Supported sports and enrichment activities to benefit hundreds of at-risk youths who participate. MPAL’s goal is to provide youth with a safe, positive environment where police officers serve as coaches and mentors.
Girls Inc. ($75,000) Kiwanis helped fund the repair and upgrading of Lauren’s Café, which feeds up to 60 low-income girls daily. Girls Inc. provides girls throughout NH with life-changing experiences and real solutions to the unique issues girls face.
A Home for Kids ($50,000) The Webster House in Manchester exists to meet a condition that is prevalent in NH: youth unable to live at home for a period.
Child Health Services ($50,000) Funds were awarded to build an examination room at their Elm Street facility.
Boys & Girls Club of Manchester ($30,000) The Boys & Girls Club of Manchester has a mission to reach out to all youth to inspire them to realize their full potential as productive, responsible, and caring individuals. Kiwanis supported the purchase of a new bus to allow for reliable transportation for students to participate in after school academic and recreational activities offered at and/or through the club.
Manchester Police Athletic League (MPAL) ($30,000) The Futures Program, in combination with their Court Diversion Program, is helping provide a solution to the clear and rising gun violence and gang issues in the city. MPAL is working in a unique combination with new and already established partnerships to provide intervention to extreme at-risk youths in the city who because of their circumstances are at a high risk for involvement in crimes. Kids attending this program are minors who are being recruited to gangs and the life of guns and violence. The board agrees with the major emphasis committee’s recommendation in support of MPAL’s application. This is the only deterrent program of its kind in the city and our Kiwanis funds will have a positive direct impact on the lives of these extreme at-risk minors. Funds will support the operational costs directly involved with running this program.

Grant Recipients & Partners:

Kiwanis of Manchester provides thousands in grants annually to local non-profit organization who serve children; we also partner with local organizations that share our mission. A full listing of our recent grant reicipients can be found here. Kiwanis utilizes many events and fundraisers in order to support the work of the many youth focused non-profit organizations in Manchester, including food drives, 10K and auction events. In addition, Kiwanis of Manchester is a recipient of proceeds from the NH Charitable Gaming program.

A partial list of recent recipients and partners includes:

The Aviation Museum
Girls at Work
The Mayhew Program
McLaughlin Middle School in Manchester
NHMI/Safe Sports Network
Special Olympics of NH
The Audubon Society of NH
The Majestic Theatre
UpReach Therapeutic Equestrian Center
Waypoint/Child and Family Services of NH
Bring It!
Daniel Webster Council Boy Scouts
Friends of Aine
SEE Science Center
Granite YMCA
Boys and Girls Club of Manchester
City of Manchester, Parks, Recreation, and Cemetary
Holy Cross Early Learning Center
Manchester, NH Babe Ruth League
MyTurn
Pastoral Counseling Services
NeighborWorks Southern NH
NH Musculoskeletal Institute
Palace Theatre Trust
Break Through Manchester
Queen City Bike Collective
Salvation Army
Webster House

Annual Service Projects and Program Support:

Breakthrough Manchester is a summer program located at the Derryfield School. This program connects academically advanced students from low-income families, including those from the refugee and immigrant communities to superior educational opportunities.
The Kiwanis Pediatric Trauma Institute in Boston is the world leader in research and education for the treatment of trauma in children.
Youth Leadership – The Club’s sponsorship of Kiwanis Key Clubs in local high schools creates the opportunity for students to cultivate leadership skills and to embrace community service.
Scholarship opportunities are provided through our youth activities for a graduating senioreach year.
Walk with a Child – Warm, winter clothes for children in need are provided at “Walk with a Child.” This is the first time that many of these children receive new coats and boots.
Celebrate with a Child is Kiwanis’ annual holiday party for local children. Kiwanis of Manchester proudly partners with local non-profits to give a memorable holiday experience to our guests.
Book Nooks – Kiwanis maintains and supplies books to 2 lending library locations in Manchester: Pulaski Park and Sweeney Park, supporting youth and teen literacy. It is anticipated that we will add more locations in Spring 2024.

Local Kiwanis Links

Kiwanis Family Links

Kiwanis International – Get all of the information you need about the International organization.
Circle K International – Get information about the college version of Kiwanis.
Key Club International – Get information about the high school level of Kiwanis.
Builders Clubs – Get information about the grade school level of Kiwanis.