Our Mission
Exchange, America's Premier Service Club, working to make our communities better places to live.

What do we do?

Clubs sponsor a wide range of activities to improve our communities, help the disadvantaged and encourage good American citizenship. The principal areas of Exchange's National Program of Service are Youth, Americanism, Community Service and our national project, Child Abuse Prevention. Members also initiate activities to meet unique local needs. This may be anything from raising funds for the homeless to building and staffing a sheltered workshop for the disabled.



Program of Services – Americanism, Community Service, Youth Projects

Americanism – Promoting pride in country, respect for the flag and appreciation of our freedoms are the primary purposes of Exchange's Americanism programs. The tumultuous struggles of world powers have done little to guarantee a peaceful future for the majority of the world’s people. However, there’s one country in modern times that people flock to for safety, freedom and opportunity — the United States of America. It is hard for Americans to imagine the horrors of modern struggles over religious and ethnic differences, the very differences we embrace.



Community Service – The history of Exchange’s community service projects is quite impressive. Since the first group of Exchangites convened in 1911 in Detroit, Mich., Exchange has been dedicated to serving its communities through various projects. Throughout the years, Exchange Clubs have been responsible for community improvements of all types such as: cleaning up highways; sponsoring cultural programs, air, art and industrial shows, state and county fairs, festivals, rodeos and athletic events. These clubs have also provided millions of dollars for scholarships, gifts, equipment, sponsorships, educational endeavors and other causes.



Youth Projects – America’s young people are its most precious resource. This is why, for many years, Exchange has sponsored an impressive selection of activities designed to benefit and encourage our nation’s youth. Many of these richly rewarding programs are among the most popular and well-supported of all Exchange Club endeavors. Two national scholarships are competitively awarded each year:

     The ACE (Accepting the Challenge of Excellence) Award to a student who has overcome adversity to graduate high school and move their lives in a positive direction. These students are often overlooked for their accomplishments, and can serve as a powerful example to all students that hard work and perseverance pay off.

     The Youth of the Year, for high achieving student who has demonstrated leadership, high scholastic achievement, and community service. This program rewards outstanding youth people, and also provides an incentive for other youngsters to strive for equally high levels of achievement.

Our National Project – Child Abuse Prevention

 
Parent Aide – While The National Exchange Club Foundation has a variety of child abuse awareness programs, our most successful method of countering child abuse is by working directly with parents through our flagship program, the Parent Aide home visitation model. The NECF coordinates a nationwide network of over 100 community-based Exchange Club Child Abuse Prevention Centers that utilize the Parent Aide program and provide support to families at-risk for abuse. To date, our Exchange Club Centers have helped more than 619,763 families break the cycle of violence, thus creating safe and stable homes for 1.5 million children. The NECF provides these sites with training, accreditation, technical support, guidance in agency development and management, and other supportive services.

Public Awareness Campaigns – The NECF believes it is important to educate the public about the serious implications of child abuse and preventable causes of harm to children. Brochures, public service announcements and other materials help Exchange Clubs, Child Abuse Prevention Centers, and the general public become better informed about child abuse and how it can be prevented. The Shaken Baby Syndrome and Fetal Alcohol Syndrome campaigns focus on prevention. Believe in the Blue, Time-Out Teddy, KidCode, and other programs provide effective tools to parents for challenging situations that can create risk for abuse.


National Child Abuse Prevention Month – The NECF endorses the month of April each year as National Child Abuse Prevention Month. The NECF produces an annual child abuse prevention month kit which includes public awareness project ideas, public relations information, promotional materials and community involvement suggestions.

Covenant of Service
(Adopted as the philosophy which characterizes an Exchangite)
Accepting the divine privilege of single and collective responsibility as life’s noblest gift, I covenant with my fellow Exchangites:
To consecrate my best energies to the uplifting of Social, Religious, Political and Business ideals;
To discharge the debt I owe to those of high and low estate who have served and sacrificed that the heritage of American citizenship might be mine;
To honor and respect law, to serve my fellowmen, and to uphold the ideals and institutions of my Country;
To implant the life-giving, society-building spirit of Service and Comradeship in my social and business relationships;
To serve in Unity with those seeking better conditions, better understandings, and greater opportunities for all.


History – The first local Exchange Club was formed in Detroit, Michigan in 1911. Charles A. Berkey is the man who is credited with the founding of this great organization. The second was the Exchange Club of Toledo, Ohio formed in 1913. Subsequently, two others were organized in Grand Rapids, Michigan and Cleveland, Ohio. These four clubs were the first to be chartered by The National Exchange Club after it was organized as a nonprofit, educational organization in 1917. Since then hundreds of clubs have been chartered in the United States and Puerto Rico. The National Exchange Club headquarters is located in Toledo, Ohio. Our chief objective is to help Exchange Clubs realize their full potential of community service.

 
Disclaimer: The National Exchange Club Foundation oversees a network of prevention programs, and provides resource and referral. We are not authorized to investigate allegations of abuse or neglect, or offer legal advice. If a child is in immediate danger, please call the police. If you suspect child abuse, contact your local Child Protective Services Department. For crisis counseling, call ChildHelp at 1-800-4-A-CHILD.