Mission Statement
The worldwide mission of Civitan International is to build good citizenship by providing a volunteer organization of clubs dedicated to serving individual and community needs, with an emphasis on helping people with developmental disabilities.
About Us
Civitan International is an organization of volunteer service clubs around the world, dedicated to helping people in their own communities.
Civitans help wherever the need arises – from collecting food for a homeless shelter, to volunteering at their local retirement home, to building a playground for children with disabilities.
Civitans have been helping people since the organization’s founding in 1917, by a group of businessmen determined to make a difference in their community.
In the 1950’s, Civitan adopted a special emphasis on helping people with developmental disabilities.
Civitan was one of the major supporters of Special Olympics International, and thousands of
Civitans still support these local events.
Civitan clubs also fund and organize special camps and events for people with developmental disabilities.
The Civitan Creed
I AM CIVITAN: as old as life, as young as the rainbow, as endless as time
MY HANDS: do the work of the world and reach out in service to others
MY EARS: hear the cry of children and the call throughout the world for peace, guidance, progress and unity
MY EYES: search for others to join in fellowship and service of Civitan
MY MOUTH: utters the call to daily duty and speaks prayers in every tongue
MY MIND: teaches me respect for law and the flag of my country
MY HEART: beats for every friend, bleeds for every injury to humanity, and throbs with joy at every triumph of truth
MY SOUL: knows no fear but its own unworthiness
MY HOPE: is for a better world through Civitan
MY MOTTO: builders of good citizenship
MY BELIEF: do unto others as you would have them do unto you
MY PLEDGE: to practice the Golden Rule and to build upon it a better and nobler citizenship