The World Needs Lions

Changing the world. It’s why the Lions Clubs International Foundation (LCIF)—a global foundation—empowered service through its most ambitious fundraising campaign in its history.

June 30, 2022, officially marked the end of Campaign 100: LCIF Empowering Service. Thanks to support from Lions, Leos, partners, and other donor support, Campaign 100 is completed and Lions and Leos across the world can celebrate reaching the goal of raising more than US$300 million to support the foundation for generations to come.

With 100 percent of donations benefitting grants and programs, every dollar helps LCIF empower Lions to increase their service impact in vision, youth, disaster relief, and humanitarian efforts such as fighting the global diabetes epidemic, as well as expand causes in childhood cancer, hunger, and the environment. Since 1968, LCIF awarded more than US $1.1 billion in grants that allow Lions across the globe to “wish big” in their dedication to serve mankind through kindness.

As Helen Keller said, “alone we can do so little; together we can do much.” As many Lions and Leos know in 1925, Helen Keller challenged the Lions to become “knights of the blind in the crusade against darkness.” Her challenge to light the world lives on in each Lion and Leo even as the campaign ends.

“I’m so proud of the dedication of Lions and Leos to support Campaign 100 and ensure the future of our global foundation for years to come,” said Dr. Jitsuhiro Yamada, chairperson of Campaign 100.  “The world needs Lions and our global foundation to magnify hope in the world. Together, our reach spans the globe and helps Lions deliver care and compassion to world citizens in need.”

LCIF and Lions accomplished so much since the campaign launched in 2018 at the 101^st Lions International Convention in Las Vegas, Nevada, in the United States. Since the campaign started, LCIF created two new grant programs, addressing childhood cancer and hunger. LCIF also quickly responded to communities around the world during the COVID-19 pandemic by awarding more than US$7 million in COVID-19 frontline relief grants.

LCIF also created a new Refugees and Displaced Persons fund to support Lions-led relief efforts to help refugees find a place of safety and security during immensely challenging times such as the ongoing Ukrainian conflict.

“I’m so proud of Lions and Leos for embracing the notion that service means both doing AND giving,” said 2021-2022 LCIF Chairperson Dr. Jung-Yul Choi.  “Serving with our hands, embracing diversity, and giving to our global Foundation, to LCIF, is what it means to be a Lion.”

As the campaign ended, Lions and Leos celebrated in-person at the 104^th Lions International Convention in Montréal and virtually, and thanked donors for their generous support of the capital campaign. Even though the celebration and campaign ends, with continued support, the foundation will build on its success so Lions and Leos, with LCIF’s support, can continue to address the needs of the world.

“By myself, I can do a little. With my club, I can do even more. With our Foundation my service is limitless,” said Past International President J. Frank Moore III, vice chairperson of Campaign 100. “I supported Campaign 100, and I will continue to support LCIF because this is only the beginning of how we change the world together for generations to come.”

Learn how LCIF through Campaign 100 made a difference, and how LCIF will continue to change the world at lionsclubs.org/Campaign100