In Washington, most of our Lodges engage in local charitable endeavors. Things like scholarships, bicycle raffles for elementary school kids who read books, laptop donations for kids, school clothes and Christmas gifts for the truly needy.
Washington also has a Jurisdiction wide charitable organization. It works to connect Seniors with the assistance and services they need in order to stay in their homes, to provide relief to students who are experiencing homelessness, gives scholarships, and operates our library.
As with all Jurisdictions, our appendant and concordant bodies also engage in extensive charity. Shriner’s Hospitals, Scottish Rite Speech and Language, the Royal Arch Heart Foundation, it is an extremely extensive list.
I presume that other Jurisdictions are quite similar to Washington in that Lodges provide very localized small scale charity, and the Jurisdiction operates a larger, professional charitable organization.
So, let’s chat about those things…
Most of our Lodges have very limited funds in order to provide local charity. Given that, what can we do to ensure that the funds we provide, and the work that we do has the greatest possible impact?
What does your Lodge do, and do you believe that it has the positive impact sought? Or do you think your Lodge would do well to consider other ways of providing relief?
Do you feel that your Jurisdiction wide charity has the correct priorities? Is it making a visible and positive impact in people’s lives? Or do you think that other priorities, or other ways of providing aid would better serve?
Do you personally focus your efforts and your financial resources on an appendant or concordant body’s charitable endeavors instead of those of your Lodge or Grand Lodge? If so, do you feel that those charitable efforts are more impactful?
What do you think about the wide and diverse universe of Masonic charity?
Our lodge Robert Morris 97, has a book to bike program we will have 6 bikes in a grade school again this year as we have for around 15 years it is in our budget. We have scholarship in 6 high school. A few years ago we started a charity account to help when we recive a request for help. When we recive a gift of cash from others we place a percentage of the gift into our charity account, but as we guard the west gate we also vet all requests of our scholarships recipient and our charity request are also vetted. We will always help if we can but vetting is a necessity.
My lodge has a bikes for books program. We’re very fortunate to have been able to tap into corporate donations so our program is well funded. We give away at least 28 bikes every school year. It wasn’t until I had been elected VM that I learned about Scottish Rite Charities. As a Shriner it’s easy to understand the charity and give to the hospital. I try not to be singularly focused on which charity I participate in. I’m always willing to give of my time and when I can, my dollars. Whether it’s at the lodge, valley or jurisdiction level, I feel our charities are all valuable. I wonder though, at least at the lodge level, if we spend far too much time and energy on raising funds for localized charities as our buildings are falling into disarray. Perhaps we should consider our lodges as charities from time to time.
I have a love/hate relationship with charity within masonry.
I fully support charitable work. I feel it's a wonderful outgrowth of wanting to do good, and be a better person. All of the people I know that live in and around seattle (for example) think paying taxes is enough, or if they go to church (not likely) their envelope in the offering plate is sufficient. They have personally done little or nothing to help others, as they are too wrapped up in their own worlds to see the benefit of charity.
I am a firm believer that the types of charitable work we do as masons, however, is an outgrowth from the Revenue Act of 1913. Beforehand, the fraternity was member serving, in other words, they helped themselves, to include banking and insurance. We all are aware of the repeated theme of providing assistance to a friend, but more especially a mason within our degrees.
But once the government established income taxes, and tax exemptions, fraternal organizations immediately filed for that status. With that filing, however, came with caveats that the fraternity actually spend money in charitable work. take the Shriners, for example. They were established in 1870, but didn't build their first hospital until 1922, after the tax exempt status was born.
There is absolutely nothing wrong with any of this. Doing charitable work is a fulfilling and wonderful endeavor as masons. But I think over time, the word charity as mentioned in the FC degree was changed from the love of humanity to giving away bikes and backpacks for kids. This metamorphosis had a much larger impact on the fraternity than most people realize as it became the focus on the lodges instead of an outgrowth. Fundraising and money became the center of attention, and I think at least in part drove the fraternity away from a philosophical one to a money machine.
And so now, how much time is spent in most lodges arguing over the sordid topic of coin? Isn't it the dominate topic within the fraternity? Not just at the local level, but the jurisdiction as a whole?
Again, all of this is just my opinion, as naïve as it probably is. But I think it explains a lot. Sorry if I am derailing your intended topic MWGM.
It is easy to become overwhelmed by the plethora of opportunities for charity within the Masonic family. As pointed out, each body has at least one to donate or participate in.
But I do agree with Bro. Brockman, that our own lodges should be, in some cases considered a charity. After all, "Charity begins at home". Certainly our buildings deserve some consideration. Even those lodges that don't own their own building certainly could devote some of their attention to their host lodge's building. It seems we are losing buildings far faster than we are erecting them. If we are to appeal to new men and continue having places to meet, we need to improve our image!
Along those same lines, we have Brothers in our own lodges in need. Quite often they won't ask for assistance, and it can be hard to know they have a need, but they are out there and if you are paying attention you can discover it. How many Brothers have been financially impacted by COVID? Has your lodge offered any relief? Have you? After all, Charity is a very personal thing, it doesn't have to be a lodge effort. Both my Blue Lodge and Royal Arch Chapter have contributed to several Brothers over the last couple of years for essentials like Food and Rent.
Perhaps the greatest outpouring of support I've ever seen happened over this past Summer, as one of our out of work Brothers had a failing roof. With financial assistance of several lodges and a bunch of sweat equity, we were able to replace this Brothers roof. It was an incredible opportunity for fellowship and truly made an impact on this Brother and his family.
As a smaller lodge, we don't have a lot of money to donate, but find opportunities where we can put in time as well. Like cooking for a homeless shelter.
I'm sure we quibble about coin too much as well, but having little means they are shorter discussions.
I am in the Jurisdiction of Florida and our charity is our Masonic Home in St. Petersburg. It is one of 3 or 4 five star rated facilities for elder care in the whole State so many of us are proud to support it. That being said, my concern lately has been that Masons are straying further from the traditional roots of Masonic Relief and are instead relying on their Lodges or state-wide bodies to do the charity for them. Don't get me wrong, the Masonic Home, Shriner's Hospital, Grotto Dental Foundation, etc... are amazing endeavors! But that does not and should not replace charity in the "microscopic" scale.
Recently at my Lodge, we've opted to utilize our monthly charity budget to plan events focused on first responder appreciation rather than sending it to a charity that will ultimately only utilize a small portion of the donation for the actual charitable purpose. We've also been planning to participate in cleanup efforts along our beaches and other related community events. Masonry is always local, and it is these types of practices that will earn us the trust and respect of our communities at large.
Our lodge Robert Morris 97, has a book to bike program we will have 6 bikes in a grade school again this year as we have for around 15 years it is in our budget. We have scholarship in 6 high school. A few years ago we started a charity account to help when we recive a request for help. When we recive a gift of cash from others we place a percentage of the gift into our charity account, but as we guard the west gate we also vet all requests of our scholarships recipient and our charity request are also vetted. We will always help if we can but vetting is a necessity.
My lodge has a bikes for books program. We’re very fortunate to have been able to tap into corporate donations so our program is well funded. We give away at least 28 bikes every school year. It wasn’t until I had been elected VM that I learned about Scottish Rite Charities. As a Shriner it’s easy to understand the charity and give to the hospital. I try not to be singularly focused on which charity I participate in. I’m always willing to give of my time and when I can, my dollars. Whether it’s at the lodge, valley or jurisdiction level, I feel our charities are all valuable. I wonder though, at least at the lodge level, if we spend far too much time and energy on raising funds for localized charities as our buildings are falling into disarray. Perhaps we should consider our lodges as charities from time to time.
I have a love/hate relationship with charity within masonry.
I fully support charitable work. I feel it's a wonderful outgrowth of wanting to do good, and be a better person. All of the people I know that live in and around seattle (for example) think paying taxes is enough, or if they go to church (not likely) their envelope in the offering plate is sufficient. They have personally done little or nothing to help others, as they are too wrapped up in their own worlds to see the benefit of charity.
I am a firm believer that the types of charitable work we do as masons, however, is an outgrowth from the Revenue Act of 1913. Beforehand, the fraternity was member serving, in other words, they helped themselves, to include banking and insurance. We all are aware of the repeated theme of providing assistance to a friend, but more especially a mason within our degrees.
But once the government established income taxes, and tax exemptions, fraternal organizations immediately filed for that status. With that filing, however, came with caveats that the fraternity actually spend money in charitable work. take the Shriners, for example. They were established in 1870, but didn't build their first hospital until 1922, after the tax exempt status was born.
There is absolutely nothing wrong with any of this. Doing charitable work is a fulfilling and wonderful endeavor as masons. But I think over time, the word charity as mentioned in the FC degree was changed from the love of humanity to giving away bikes and backpacks for kids. This metamorphosis had a much larger impact on the fraternity than most people realize as it became the focus on the lodges instead of an outgrowth. Fundraising and money became the center of attention, and I think at least in part drove the fraternity away from a philosophical one to a money machine.
And so now, how much time is spent in most lodges arguing over the sordid topic of coin? Isn't it the dominate topic within the fraternity? Not just at the local level, but the jurisdiction as a whole?
Again, all of this is just my opinion, as naïve as it probably is. But I think it explains a lot. Sorry if I am derailing your intended topic MWGM.
It is easy to become overwhelmed by the plethora of opportunities for charity within the Masonic family. As pointed out, each body has at least one to donate or participate in.
But I do agree with Bro. Brockman, that our own lodges should be, in some cases considered a charity. After all, "Charity begins at home". Certainly our buildings deserve some consideration. Even those lodges that don't own their own building certainly could devote some of their attention to their host lodge's building. It seems we are losing buildings far faster than we are erecting them. If we are to appeal to new men and continue having places to meet, we need to improve our image!
Along those same lines, we have Brothers in our own lodges in need. Quite often they won't ask for assistance, and it can be hard to know they have a need, but they are out there and if you are paying attention you can discover it. How many Brothers have been financially impacted by COVID? Has your lodge offered any relief? Have you? After all, Charity is a very personal thing, it doesn't have to be a lodge effort. Both my Blue Lodge and Royal Arch Chapter have contributed to several Brothers over the last couple of years for essentials like Food and Rent.
Perhaps the greatest outpouring of support I've ever seen happened over this past Summer, as one of our out of work Brothers had a failing roof. With financial assistance of several lodges and a bunch of sweat equity, we were able to replace this Brothers roof. It was an incredible opportunity for fellowship and truly made an impact on this Brother and his family.
As a smaller lodge, we don't have a lot of money to donate, but find opportunities where we can put in time as well. Like cooking for a homeless shelter.
I'm sure we quibble about coin too much as well, but having little means they are shorter discussions.
I am in the Jurisdiction of Florida and our charity is our Masonic Home in St. Petersburg. It is one of 3 or 4 five star rated facilities for elder care in the whole State so many of us are proud to support it. That being said, my concern lately has been that Masons are straying further from the traditional roots of Masonic Relief and are instead relying on their Lodges or state-wide bodies to do the charity for them. Don't get me wrong, the Masonic Home, Shriner's Hospital, Grotto Dental Foundation, etc... are amazing endeavors! But that does not and should not replace charity in the "microscopic" scale.
Recently at my Lodge, we've opted to utilize our monthly charity budget to plan events focused on first responder appreciation rather than sending it to a charity that will ultimately only utilize a small portion of the donation for the actual charitable purpose. We've also been planning to participate in cleanup efforts along our beaches and other related community events. Masonry is always local, and it is these types of practices that will earn us the trust and respect of our communities at large.