Kiwanis Club makes $100,000 commitment to Augusta University

The Kiwanis Club of Augusta has pledged $100,000 to support pediatric care and student scholarships at Augusta University. Half of the commitment — $50,000 — will go to the Children’s Hospital of Georgia, the area’s only children’s hospital, while the other half will go to AU students through multiple scholarships over the next few years.

“We are excited to see one of our local civic organizations make such a generous commitment to Augusta University,” said Deborah Vaughn, vice president of Philanthropy & Alumni Engagement. “By supporting the Children’s Hospital, our friends in Kiwanis are helping in the specialized medical care for some of our most vulnerable young patients. And, through their scholarship assistance, more students will have access to higher education opportunities right here in Augusta. We appreciate the Kiwanis Club and its members for investing in future generations through these gifts.”

“The scholarships will be given to Augusta University students who are pursuing careers that will benefit the health needs of children,” said Dr. Martha Ginn, president of the club and a professor in the Department of Social Sciences at Augusta University. “We are fortunate to have a group of members in Kiwanis who are so compassionate about supporting our local students and Augusta’s only children’s hospital. These fit perfectly with the mission of Kiwanis to improve the world one child and one community at a time.”

The Kiwanis Club of Augusta originally planned to announce these awards in 2020, but COVID-19 put a hold on these plans.

“We chose to invest $100,000 in our community in celebration of 100 years of outstanding Kiwanis service in Augusta,” said Cobbs Nixon, chair of the Kiwanis Centennial Committee. “The Children’s Hospital of Georgia and Augusta University are so deserving of our support, and we are happy to finally share this exciting news on behalf of our dedicated Kiwanis Club of Augusta members.”

Founded in 1920 by a group of Augusta business leaders, the Kiwanis Club of Augusta is comprised of a diverse group of businesspeople, professionals, educators, community volunteers and others who are dedicated to changing the world, one child and one community at a time. The club embraces the Kiwanis International principles of fellowship, coordination and service. With close to 200 members, the Augusta Kiwanis Club is one of the largest Kiwanis clubs in the world.