Smarter Children - Worldwide

We just got back from the Kiwanis International convention in st. Louis where we heard, once again, the story about Iodine Deficiency Disorder (IDD). Iodine deficiency is a leading cause of mental retardation, blindness, goiter and other childhood illnesses. Lack of iodization can reduce the IQ of a population by as much as fifteen points. The cure is simple: iodized salt. Delivering the solutions isn’t. In 1990, less than 20 percent of the world population at risk of iodine deficiency had access to iodized salt.

Kiwanis, an organization of men and women joined in service clubs dedicated to “Serving the Children of the World” joined together to raise over $75 million to fund UNICEF programs for helping indigenous peoples to iodize their own salt and educate them to use it. The result is that, every year, 90 million children are protected from this disease.

I am proud to be a member of the Kiwanis Club of Charlottesville. Together we are changing the world.