Service and Human Needs — Guest blog on Lions, Lionism, and Maslow’s Hierarchy by Ani MacKay

Our latest guest blog comes from Lion Ani MacKay, the Dallas Founder Lions Club Secretary who is passionate about the psychology behind service. In her essay, Ani draws fascinating connections between Lionism and Abraham Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, showing how the Lions’ global mission
aligns with the fundamental needs of individuals and communities.

Ani brings a wealth of knowledge to this topic. She ispursuing her Master of Science in Industrial and Organizational Psychology at the University of Texas at Arlington and holds a Bachelor’s degree in
Psychology from Southern Methodist University, where she specialized in Human Rights. During her time at SMU, Ani was a Second Century Scholar, a Rotunda Scholar, and an active member of the East Asian Student Association.

As a Lions Club member, Ani has also had the unique opportunity to travel abroad through the Lions youth programs, further. deepening her understanding of service and connection.

In her essay, Ani invites us to think about how the Lions'motto, “We Serve,” helps address not only the tangible needs of communities but also the deeper emotional and personal fulfillment that comes from being part of this global fellowship.

Lions, Lionism, and Maslow’s Hierarchy by Ani MacKay

As Lions, we serve. The duty of a Lion is to find the needs of their community— whether it be their own home, their own neighborhood, their city, or our world as whole— and do whatever is in their power to serve those needs. Speaking of needs… have you ever heard of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs? If you haven’t: Abraham Maslow, an American psychologist, presented his theory of the Hierarchy of Needs in the 1940s. He proposed that, much like the infamous food pyramid, human needs formed a hierarchy in which true motivation and satisfaction relied on the fulfillment of five levels of ‘need’:

Physiological needs: Basic necessities like food, water, and shelter.
Safety needs: Security in health, employment, and personal safety,
Love and belonging needs: Relationships, friendships, and a sense of
connection.
Esteem needs: Respect, recognition, and freedom.
Self-actualization: The desire to achieve one’s fullest potential.

Lions International’s global causes arguably strive to assist others in achieving various levels of Maslow’s needs. The Hunger, Disaster relief, and Environment causes address the base ‘physiological’ needs; Vision, Childhood cancer, and Diabetes the ‘safety’ need; Humanitarian and Youth the ‘esteem’ need… and yet, what about the needs of ‘love/belonging’ and ‘selfactualization’?

To me, this is where our Lions fellowship truly shines.

Through regular meetings, shared service projects, and the friendships we form with fellow Lions, we fulfill our own needs for love and belonging. Additionally, the dedication to our mission and the opportunity to give back allow us to strive toward selfactualization, becoming the best Lions—
and the best people— we can be.

So, why not share this experience with others? By inviting friends, family members, or colleagues to join our meetings or service projects, you offer them more than just an introduction to Lionism. You give them the chance to experience community, connection, and the fulfillment of
purpose that comes with being a Lion.

As Lions, our mission is to serve. Let’s not stop at serving the world’s needs—let’s also serve the needs of those around us by inviting them to be part of this remarkable community. We Serve.

Written by Ani MacKay, Dallas Founder Lions Club Secretary and a graduate student in Industrial and Organizational Psychology at the University of Texas at Arlington. Ani holds a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Southern Methodist University, where she specialized in Human Rights. As aLion, she has participated in global youth programs and is passionate about thei ntersection of service, psychology, and community