Lions Clubs International is the world's largest service club organization.
We have more than 1.3 million members in more than 45,000 clubs worldwide.
Lions are everywhere.
We're active men and women in more than 200 countries and geographic areas.
Lions have a dynamic history
Founded in 1917, we are best known for fighting blindness – it's part of our history as well as our work today.But we also volunteer for many different kinds of community projects – including caring for the environment, feeding the hungry and aiding seniors and the disabled.
Lions give sight.
By conducting vision screenings, equipping hospitals and clinics, distributing medicine and raising awarenessof eye disease, Lions work toward their mission of providing vision for all. Lions have extended their commitment to sight conservation through countless local efforts and through their international SightFirst Program, which works to eradicate blindness.
Lions serve youth.
Our community projects often support local children and schools through scholarships, recreation and
mentoring. Internationally, we offer many programs, including the Peace Poster Contest, Youth Camps and
Exchange and Lions Quest. Our Leo Program provides the youth of the world with an opportunity for personal development through volunteering. There are approximately 144,000 Leos and 5,700 Leo clubs in more than 140 countries worldwide.
Lions award grants.
Since 1968, the Lions Clubs International Foundation has awarded more than $660 million in grants to support Lions humanitarian projects around the world. The Foundation was also ranked the number one
nongovernmental organization in a 2007 study by The Financial Times.Together, our Foundation and Lions are helping communities following natural disasters by providing for immediate needs such as food, water, clothing and medical supplies and aiding in long-term reconstruction
.
Lions are active.
Our motto is "We Serve." Lions are part of a global service network, doing whatever is necessary to help our
local communities.
1917: The Beginning Chicago business leader Melvin Jones asked a simple and world-changing
question – what if people put their talents to work improving their communities? Almost 100 years later, Lions Clubs International is the world's largest service club organization, with more than 1.3 million members in more than 45,000 clubs and countless stories of Lions acting on the same simple idea: let's improve our communities
.
1920: Going International Just three years after our founding, Lions became international when
we established the first club in Canada. Mexico followed in 1927. In the 1950s and 1960s international growth accelerated, with new clubs in Europe, Asia and Africa.
1925: Eradicating Blindness Helen Keller addressed the Lions Clubs International Convention
in Cedar Point, Ohio, USA, and challenged Lions to become "knights of the blind in the crusade against
darkness." Since then, we have worked tirelessly to aid the blind and visually impaired.
1945: Uniting Nations The ideal of an international organization is exemplified by our enduring
relationship with the United Nations. We were one of the first nongovernmental organizations invited to assist in the drafting of the United Nations Charter and have supported the work of the UN ever since
.
1957: Organizing Youth Programs In the late 1950s, we created the Leo Program to provide
the youth of the world with an opportunity for personal development through volunteering. There are
approximately 144,000 Leos and 5,700 Leo clubs in more than 140 countries worldwide.
1968: Establishing Our Foundation Lions Clubs International Foundation assists Lions with
global and large-scale local humanitarian projects. Through our Foundation, Lions meet the needs of their local and global communities.
1990: Launching SightFirst Through SightFirst, Lions are restoring sight and preventing blindness on a global scale. Launched in 1990, Lions have raised more than $346 million for this initiative. SightFirst targets the major causes of blindness: cataract, trachoma, river blindness, childhood blindness, diabetic retinopathy and glaucoma.
Today: Extending Our Reach Lions Clubs International extends our mission of service every day
– in local communities, in all corners of the globe. The needs are great and our services broad, including sight,health, youth, elderly, the environment and disaster relief. Our international network has grown to include more than 200 countries and geographic areas.
