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Tuesday, February 18, 2025
NewsCommunityThe Kiwanis Club of Milpitas & its legacy of positivity

The Kiwanis Club of Milpitas & its legacy of positivity

Sponsored by Milpitas Charity Bingo.

For over three decades now, the Kiwanis Club of Milpitas has worked to provide mentoring and support to youth in Milpitas who are experiencing financial hardship. To that end, Milpitas Kiwanis orchestrates scholarships and charity drives to benefit Milpitas Unified School District (MUSD) students and graduates. 

This year, the Kiwanis Club received a $2,000 grant from Kohl’s in Milpitas. The money went toward winter clothes, blankets, heaters, and pillows for students from the MUSD population. 

The move was a smaller iteration of Kiwanis’ more ambitious Kohl’s for Kids event: “We do that every August. The group has really grown. We used to do just a few kids at $100 apiece; right now, we’re doing about 150 kids at $150 each,” Marsha Grilli, a member of the Kiwanis Club since 2012, told The Beat. (Grilli is in charge of Kiwanis’ regular fundraising activities through Milpitas Charity Bingo, as well as their annual Crab Feed.)

Superintendent Cheryl Jordan, who is also a member of the Kiwanis Club, communicates with the principals across MUSD to identify which families are in need of support. Selected kids then go “shopping” at Kohl’s alongside Kiwanis volunteers, picking out new school clothes and shoes. Warmly, Grilli said, “The kids are always excited.”

Kiwanis’ other big annual event alongside Kohl’s for Kids is the Crab Feed, where they’re able to raise funds to keep their programs running (the next one’s coming up on February 7, 2025). 

Another Kiwanis program is devoted to scholarships. Grilli shared, “We do $6,000 grants for our graduating students, from CalHills and the middle college and the high school. They’re called turnaround scholarships. We do scholarships and we do mentoring.”

The scholarships are broken down into $1,500 per year of college. The students have to demonstrate to their Kiwanis Club mentors that they are succeeding and on track with their plans. Said Grilli, “It’s not even focused just on college, it’s focused on continuous ed after they graduate…” 

Norma Morales, another Kiwanis club member, works for MUSD as a School Linked Services (SLS) Supervisor of Wellbeing and Immigrant Support. She serves as a liaison and a voice for students and families in need. 

“I advocate for them and help them feel supported. It’s great to be working with such an amazing group of people [at the Kiwanis Club] that truly care,” Morales shared with The Beat. 

Through another key program, Milpitas Reads, the Kiwanis Club purchases books for every second-grader in the school district, then their members visit the schools and read aloud to the students. The most recent selection was “My Roots are Rich” by Nyla Choates. Each book provided has the Kiwanis Club logo on it. 

Currently, Milpitas Kiwanis has 22 members. Said Grilli, “Our membership has really been building, which is exciting. And everybody is just so focused on working together, that it’s just been very pleasant.” 

The club’s new President is Joseph Weinstein, who started his term back in October. He has been a part of the Kiwanis Club for the past two years: “I joined because of the focus they have in working with children in Milpitas. I love to be participating in something where you can see the results right in front of your eyes.”  

Another Kiwanis Club member, Ron Lind, has been active since the Club’s start in the 1990s, meaning he’s now in his fourth decade of involvement. Weinstein told The Beat that Lind should be recognized for all the dedication he has poured into the club, along with Grilli and her husband Dennis. 

“They’re the three veterans,” said Weinstein. “I count on them for the work they’ve done to move the club forward.”  

Meanwhile, Grilli gave a direct shout-out to Milpitas Charity Bingo for their support: “Bingo’s an important piece for us,” she said, “because it’s something we can count on in our fundraising to continue our programs. That makes a difference for us.” 



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Rhoda Shapiro & Eric Shapiro
Rhoda Shapiro & Eric Shapiro
Rhoda and Eric Shapiro are the editors of The Milpitas Beat.

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