Celebrate 50 years of the Optimist International Foundation with a donation

Throughout 2021, the Optimist International Foundation (OIF) will celebrate its 50th Anniversary. It has commissioned special artwork from artist Jeff Hansen, an interesting young man who met many Optimist Club members at the Optimist International Convention in Louisville, KY.  Jeff had multiple health conditions from birth and succumbed this year to complications of the brain tumor he had lived with since a child. 

Please consider honoring both the Optimist International Foundation and Jeff's memory by making a donation to the OIF of $50 and receiving its 50th Anniversary pin. 

Click here to purchase the pin.

Scarves, ties, and other items featuring Jeff's unique style are also for sale and all money raised benefits the Childhood Health and Wellness Campaign. 

Go here to purchase these special items.

As is the OIF's way, it helps Optimist Clubs help Youth. At this time there are two grant opportunities to which  Optimist Clubs may apply.

Club Grant Application – You may submit an application for a Matching Grant to start up a new project this year. The amount requested can range from $250 to $1,000. The Club Grant program is a long-standing effort by OIF to assist Clubs in helping more in their communities. The application can be found on the OIF website by clicking here. The deadline for application submission is March 15, 2021.

Childhood Health and Wellness – This new Grant program, which grew out of the Childhood Cancer Campaign, is accepting applications for the second grant cycle. The deadline for applications is April 30, 2021. The next consideration cycle after that ends on August 30, 2021. The application can be found on the OIF website by clicking here. The process will award $250 – $1,000 for a Matching Grant in one of the four focus areas:

• Healthy Lifestyles (Child Obesity, Healthy Eating, Physical Fitness, Happy Heart Advice, March of Dimes)
• Chronic Diseases (Childhood Cancer, Juvenile Diabetes, HIV, Multiple Sclerosis, Muscular Dystrophy, Sickle Cell Anemia)
• Mental Health (Depression, Bullying, Abuse)
• Disabilities – Physical, Intellectual, & Developmental (Autism, Special Olympics)

Optimist Clubs and their members are the principal donors to the Optimist International Foundation. To make giving fun during this time of celebration, the OIF is hosting an online auction. The auction ends on March 11, 2021. 

Please go here to make a bid: Optimist International Foundation Auction 2021.