Kiwanis was founded January 21, 1915, in Detroit, Michigan, by a group of businessmen as a networking organization. It attracted 200 members in its first six months. Soon, the members were distributing Christmas baskets to the poor and performing other charitable acts. By 1919 it was decided the primary mission of Kiwanis should be community service. The efforts of Kiwanis International have greatly eliminate iodine deficiency disorder throughout the developing world — a leading cause of developmental disabilities of the brain in areas where iodized salt was not previously available. Today, there are more than 550,000 Kiwanis clubs around the globe. Kiwanis clubs host nearly 150,000 projects each year and complete more than 19 million service hours. Every year clubs raise more than $100 million to support community causes.