WHAT DO EXCHANGE CLUBS 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.
HISTORY OF EXCHANGE
Charles A. Berkey is credited with the founding of this great organization. At his suggestion, the name “Exchange” was selected because the group wanted to exchange ideas and information with like-minded individuals about how to better serve their communities.
The first local Exchange Club was formed in Detroit, Michigan in 1911. 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, with nearly 28,000 members making a positive difference in their own communities everyday.
We are America's Service Club. From our organization's earliest days, Exchange Clubs have been unselfishly serving their communities and improving the quality of life. The diverse array of Exchange-sponsored programs and projects has made a considerable impact on America, enhancing the lives of countless men, women and children across the nation. 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.
