Join Together Existing Community Organizations Lions Clubs International
Join Together Existing Community Organizations & Lions Clubs International Be a member of the Lions Clubs family
Introductions (Insert your picture) • A little about me and why I’m a Lion • Introductions – tell us about yourself 2
The Story of a String – Join Together A single string can break easily Many strings together are stronger Together, we can serve our communities 3
Two Roads Lead to Lions Clubs International Join Together Option 1 Existing groups of 15 or more people can form a new, self-standing Lions Club Option 2 Existing groups of 5 or more people can OR form a club branch of an existing Lions Club 4
Background • Join Together, a special 2 -year pilot program, allows existing nonprofit community service groups to apply to for (1) a new Lions Club; or (2) a Club Branch of an existing Lions Club under greatly reduced fees and special provisions. • The Join Together Pilot Program will operate in the USA, Canada, Sweden, the British Isles, Ireland Australia. • The expenses for a Lions Club charter are reduced to a flatrate of US$300 (compared to $650+), and the number of members reduced from 20 to 15. • For Club Branches (Option 2), the new member fee is waived. There’s no better time to join the family. 5
Overall Benefits to Joining the Lions family Community service groups are faced with three hurdles Expanding Programs/Services: The Well Has Run Dry Complying with Reporting: A Growing Headache Liability Insurance: An Expensive Proposition 6
What Nonprofits Can Form a Lions Club? Where’s there’s a need, there is a need for a Lions Club Community Service Orgs. Environmental Groups Volunteer Fire Depts. & Military Bases Community Heritage Alliances Social Welfare Orgs. Parent/Teacher Groups Youth Sports Associations Join Together! 7
How do We Get Started? Option 1 – A new Lions Club Option 2 – A Club Branch • A Charter Application Form must be completed • The organization must be a non-profit in good standing • Is over 3 years-old and has people willing to be club officers for the 1 st term • Has 15 or more members over legal age • A Club Branch (CB-1 A) notification form • The organization must be a non-profit in good standing • Has 3 people willing to be Branch President, Secretary and Treasurer • Has 5 or more members over legal age 8
Which Option is Best for Us? Option 1 – A new Lions Club Option 2 – A Club Branch • Is best for a larger group that has a volunteer ‘pool’ of people to serve as club officers • Is ideal for smaller groups or ones that address very unique community needs • Seeks to be as self-sufficient as possible • Seeks to be part of a ‘parent’ Lions Club for guidance • Has a more direct say on Lions District matters and leadership elections, since it’s an independent Lions Club • Has its own club officers and gathers at its own preferred time and place • Is directly eligible for any recognition and awards offered to regular Lions Clubs • Branch President is automatically a member of the Board of Directors of the ‘parent’ club. 9
How Does It Really Work? • Like most things in life, this is a two-way street. • My advice is to ensure you’re helping existing Lions Clubs meet humanitarian needs, so they’ll help your organization when needed. • It doesn’t need to involve monetary support, as most of us have an ongoing need for volunteers and hands-on support. 10
Join Together – Two Options Summarized Option 1 -- form a stand-alone Lions Club of 15 or more members Option 2 – form a Club Branch, or multiple Club Branches, of 5 or more members per branch, tied to an existing Lions Club. 11
An Overview of Today’s Lions Clubs
Lions’ Mission To empower volunteers to serve their communities, meet humanitarian needs, encourage peace and promote international understanding through Lions clubs. Vision To be the global leader in community and humanitarian service. Purposes • • To Organize, charter and supervise service clubs to be known as Lions clubs. To Coordinate the activities and standardize the administration of Lions clubs. To Create and foster a spirit of understanding among the peoples of the world. To Promote the principles of good government and good citizenship. To Take an active interest in the civic, cultural, social and moral welfare of the community. To Unite the clubs in the bonds of friendship, good fellowship and mutual understanding. To Provide a forum for the open discussion of all matters of public interest; provided, however, that partisan politics and sectarian religion shall not be debated by club members. To Encourage service-minded people to serve their community without personal financial reward, and to encourage efficiency and promote high ethical standards in commerce, industry, professions, public works and private endeavors. 13
Our Core Values • “You don’t get very far until you start doing something for somebody else. ” -- Melvin Jones, Founder of LCI. Led to our motto ‘We Serve’ • When people get together, problems get smaller and communities better. We feel problems are best solved by a group • Clubs decide how best to serve their community – flexibility. Clubs are autonomous 14
Core Values (Continued) • We believe service should be fun, and offer friendship Fun & fellowship are important • We give opportunities for personal growth and leadership We grow • We’re led by our peers, giving everyone a chance to lead We lead when called upon 15
Key Dates § Founded in 1917 in Chicago § 1920 – Goes international with first clubs in Canada. § 1925 – Helen Keller challenges Lions to become the “knights of the blind” at the international convention; adopt sight as a signature cause. § 1945 – LCI is invited to assist in the drafting of United Nations Charter. § 1957 – LCI establishes the Leo Program to provide youth an opportunity for personal development through service. § 1968 – LCI establishes Lions Clubs International Foundation. § 1990 – Sight. First, a global fundraising initiative by LCIF, is launched. § 2008 – Sight. First II campaign completed, mobilizing $204 million more to fight preventable blindness and improve vision worldwide. § 2010 – Join the fight against measles, a leading cause of preventable mortality in children, blindness, deafness, and disability. § 2013 – Launched major measles partnership with GAVI & Gates Fdn. § 2017 Centennial Celebration – 100 th Anniversary 16
Our Structure in a Nutshell 34 International Directors, 6 board appointees, 4 Executive Officers Board of Directors 1. 35 million Lions, the world’s largest volunteer organization International President 750 Lions Districts worldwide Administrative Staff @ HQs District Governors (750 districts) Add. Field Support Structures: • Global Membership Team • Global Leadership Team • LCIF Steering Cmte & Coordinators Region Chairpersons (optional) 46, 000+ Lions Clubs 209 countries & territories Zone Chairpersons Current Int’l dues (Presently $43/year) Approximately 300 staff at HQ Lions Club 46, 000+ Lions Clubs Worldwide Delegates to International Convention 17
Communication Channels to Clubs and Members Communicating 24/7 and in new platforms with the communications revolution LION Magazine • • 10 issues per year English and Spanish from HQ 399, 000 circulation 31 other editions around the world Mass email • Managed from PR Division • Most communication based on member title Social media • Facebook, Twitter, You. Tube, Blog • English posts, with engagement in many languages 18
An Overview of Lions Clubs’ Service – “We Serve”
Lions’ Scope of Service Today • The elimination of preventable blindness, vision health, & aiding the blind is our historic commitment, dating back to Helen Keller’s 1925 speech to Lions. • Now operate the world’s largest program fighting needless blindness globally – Sight. First – restoring sight to 9 million, preventing blindness in 30 million, and constructing 600 eye wards -- all for an average of $6 person. • Life-changing work: 7 out of 10 cases -- out of 40 million cases of blindness -- are completely needless and can be easily prevented. • Operate a dozen programs – from guide dog schools, vision screening, to world’s majority of eye banks – to prevent needless sight loss and disability in communities like yours. 20
Lions’ Scope of Service Today -- Continued • Lions’ Service has grown significantly into 3 more areas: youth development, hunger, and the environment. • LCI operates 4 special global service action campaigns that serve 8 million people worldwide yearly through the 46, 000+ Lions Clubs. • Clubs can address any humanitarian need in your community. • Lions Clubs raise on average $750 million yearly for local projects, decided by the club. • Disaster relief, a major commitment by Lions Clubs International Foundation (LCIF), supporting Lions relief efforts. 21
Best To Hear It From Lions! Hear what our members say about the joy and impact of Lions’ Service https: //www. youtube. com/watch? v=Luf--LSUf. FY 22
The Work of Lions Clubs International Foundation Our global foundation – LCIF. See for yourself. https: //www. youtube. com/watch? v=fl. QYF 5 d. Ktz. A 23
What are the Needs in Our Community? • Let’s take 10 minutes to talk about the unmet needs in this community. • If you come from an existing community nonprofit, tell us a little bit about its mission, and some of the challenges you may see on the horizon. 24
Recap • We’re the world’s largest volunteer service club organization, with 1. 35 million members in 209 countries/territories. The only one that has grown consistently over the last 7 years. • LCI has been around for nearly a century (and preparing for another one). • Offers a wide-range of services and programs for all clubs – from club websites, to world-class community service programs, to leadership training and more. • Become part of the Lions Club family today! Join Together. Thank You 25
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