Every club raises its funds and independently selects service initiatives aimed at enhancing the well-being of children.

Examples of typical projects include sponsoring youth athletic leagues, holding essay and oratorical contests for scholarships, and supporting local schools.

It united various local and regional clubs, the first of which had been founded in Buffalo, New York, in 1911.

At the convention, the first official charter of the international organization was awarded to the club in Downtown Indianapolis, Indiana which had been founded in 1916.

[2] Optimist International delineates its mission, vision, and purpose[3] to encapsulate its objective of promoting and fostering the development of youth.