Our Impact
Transforming Youth Futures & Strengthening Community Well-Being
At the Kiwanis Club of Greater Highland Park Foundation, we measure our success in the transformed lives of the young people and families we serve. Through three flagship programs — the Youth Leadership & Life Skills Academy, the Scholarship & Education Access Program, and the Family Health & Community Wellness Initiative — we are investing in the potential of our community's most valuable resource: its people. Our person-centered, culturally responsive approach means we meet every participant exactly where they are, providing the tailored support, resources, and relationships that lead to lasting change. From developing the next generation of community leaders to connecting underserved students with life-changing scholarships and ensuring families have health support and disaster resilience, our work touches every dimension of community well-being.
The numbers behind our impact tell a powerful story. We have served over 320 youth participants, awarded more than 87 scholarships to students who might otherwise have gone without, reached more than 1,200 community members through health and wellness programming, and supported over 45 families through disaster relief, senior assistance, and family support services. With a 94% family satisfaction rate and a 91% youth goal achievement rate, our data-driven, heart-centered model consistently delivers results that last. But behind every statistic is a real young person who now leads with confidence, a student who is the first in their family to attend college, a senior who feels less alone, and a family that weathered a crisis because their community showed up. This is the impact of the Kiwanis Club of Greater Highland Park Foundation — and it is only the beginning.
Impact by the Numbers
Youth Participants Served
Scholarships Awarded
Family Satisfaction Rate
Community Members Reached
Families Supported
Youth Goal Achievement Rate
Stories of Transformation
Hear from youth and families whose lives have been changed
When I joined the Youth Leadership & Life Skills Academy through the Kiwanis Club of Greater Highland Park Foundation, I had no idea how much it would change my life. My mentor helped me discover strengths I never knew I had. Today I'm a first-generation college student, active in my campus community, and mentoring younger students from my neighborhood. This program didn't just teach me leadership — it showed me who I could become.
I wanted to go to college but felt like it was impossible given my family's financial situation. The Scholarship & Education Access Program walked me through every step — from finding scholarships I never knew existed to writing my personal statement. I received two scholarship awards and am now studying nursing. The team at Kiwanis Club of Greater Highland Park Foundation believed in me long before I believed in myself.
After the wildfires hit our neighborhood, my family lost so much. The Family Health & Community Wellness Initiative was there immediately with emergency supplies and helped us connect to every resource we needed to recover. They also helped my mother, who is elderly, get the senior assistance she needed. Knowing that our community has this kind of support from the Kiwanis Club of Greater Highland Park Foundation means the world to us.