"To relieve the distressed is a duty incumbent on all men, but particularly on Freemasons, who are linked together by an indissoluble chain of sincere affection. To soothe the unhappy, to sympathize with their misfortunes, to compassionate their miseries, and to restore peace to their troubled minds, is the great aim we have in view. On this basis we form our friendships and establish our connections.

--Illustrations of Masonry, p. 72 William Preston, 1772.

Among Masonic charities and relief efforts in the US are:

SHRINERS HOSPITALS

As one Shriner put it, "We can't put a price on what we do for these children so we do it for free!"

For those living in Mexico, the US or Canadian, these hospitals are pretty well known. What is not always known is that all Shriners are Masons! There are 22 hospitals throughout the United States: three for treatment of burns and 19 which address crippled children's medical problems.

The first Shriners Hospital opened in Shreveport, Louisiana in 1922 and the first Burns Institute opened in Galveston, Texas in 1966. To date, the Shriners have spent over $3 billion dollars on hospital operating costs and over $7 million on construction and renovation.

The number of children helped to date is nearing 550,000 and all care is free! The one department which is never found in a Shrine Hospital is a billing department. Funds for this come from gifts, bequests, income from the endowment fund, hospital fund-raising events, and the annual hospital assessment paid by every Shriner (of which there are approximately 600,000).

Shrine Football

Football fans also know of the Shrine Hospitals through the Annual East-West Shrine Football Classic and Pageant which was begun in 1925. During the past ten years, the game has drawn an average of 70,000 fans, by far the largest attendance of any college all-star game. Over the years, "Football's Finest Hour" has raised more than $14 million dollars to provide quality medical care free of charge to children of every race and religion.

In addition, throughout the United States, there are hundreds of high school post-season football games also played for the benefit of the Shrine Hospitals. For many graduating seniors, it is their last competitive football game but the one they'll remember with the fondest memories, despite the other accolades they may have received while playing. An essential part of game preparation is a trip to a local Shrine Children's Hospital so that these athletes will see the children they're helping.

The motto of all Shrine football games is:

"Strong Legs Run That Weak Legs May Walk."

CONTACTING SHRINERS HOSPITALS

If you know of a child who might benefit from care at a Shrine Burns or Crippled Children's facility, contact ANY Shriner or call one of our toll-free patient referral lines between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Eastern Time.  In the United States: 1-800-237-5055. In Canada: 1-800-361-7256.

For emergency burn admissions to one of the Shriners Hospitals that treat burns, the referring physician should telephone the chief of staff at the Shriners Hospital in Boston, Cincinnati, Galveston, Tex., or Sacramento, California and indicate the patient needs emergency care. Emergency care is not available at the orthopaedic hospitals. Non-emergency admissions of burn patients for reconstructive or plastic surgery can be arranged in the same manner as orthopaedic admissions at the nearest Shriners Hospital for Children.

The Grottoes of North America

The GROTTO is a great fraternal Order with an even greater charitable program. The    organization started as a fun Order in 1892 and although not a Masonic organization per se, it's membership is strictly and exclusively limited to Master Masons. Its humanitarian project began in June 1949 when it adopted as its national objective the cause of Cerebral Palsy and to this day continues support to find a cure for this dread disease. The Supreme Council has contributed over a half million dollars to the United Cerebral Research Foundation and these funds are used exclusively for research purposes.

In addition, the Grotto sponsors an extensive program of Dentistry for the Handicapped.

The image of a handicapped child evokes immediate sympathy Some of the needs of these special children are clearly obvious and easily met: wheel chairs, prostheses, and crutches. Other needs are not as obvious but are just as important. Dental care is one of these significant but often overlooked necessities for good health that is being provided by the Masons in the Grottoes of North America.

The Supreme Council, Mystic Order Veiled Prophets of the Enchanted Realm (to use the Grotto's formal name), saw a need and took the opportunity to meet it. Because of their handicaps, many children cannot receive traditional dental services; their muscle control simply will not let them keep their mouths open for a dental exam. Dentists with specific training are needed to provide this care and it is the goal of the Grottoes of North America to provide these special services to children who need it.

This dental care is available to any child 18 or younger with cerebral palsy muscular dystrophy mental retardation, or myasthenia gravis. The dentistry program is administered locally through a network of volunteer members known as Doctors of Smiles. Applicants must be sponsored by a local Grotto, though in areas where no Grotto is convenient, parents can apply directly to the Grottoes' Humanitarian Foundation.

In addition, the Grottoes of North America have two National Regional Treatment Centers: one at the Illinois Masonic Medical Center in Chicago and the other at the Medical College of Ohio in Toledo. In either location, the Grottoes can supply the most advanced dental treatment possible to patients who are severely medically compromised. Also, dentists who have hospital privileges in their respective communities often utilize hospital facilities to serve children who would otherwise be untreatable in a regular office environment .

Whatever the service, the only return on their time and money expected by the Masons in the Grottoes is intangible - the smile of a child they helped.

32° Masonic Learning Centers for Children

In 1994, the 'brainchild' of a Massachusetts Mason, J. Phillip Berquist, came to fruition and the Northern Masonic Jurisdiction of the Scottish Rite began its support of centers to help children with dyslexia.  Phil is a Past Grand Master of Masons in Massachusetts and one of the most active individuals you'll ever find.* He'll probably order us to remove all references to him when he finds this page but we feel strongly, that this man, whom we also consider a friend and mentor, should be recognized for his vision and for his outstanding contribution to Masonic philanthropies.

The program grew 'like topsy' in the Scottish Rite's Northern US Masonic Jurisdiction.  It was also replicated in the Southern US Masonic Jurisdiction of the Scottish Rite as well. You can read about the NMJ's programs at this site and the SMJ's programs right here. New centers seem to be opening all the time, thus enhancing this wonderful program filling a very important need. 

Since 1994, many children have received free specialized instruction at these  Scottish Rite Masonic Children's Learning Centers. Scottish Rite Masons of the US Northern Masonic Jurisdiction have pledged to continue to offer this service for as many children as they can - free of charge. They also provide guidance and funding for other means to defeat dyslexia, such as teacher tutor programs, research, and scholarships for teachers.

This worthwhile program is just another of the many fine charities sponsored by the Masonic family.

Knight Templar Eye Foundation

As a Knight Templar Mason, one has many opportunities to help others who are less fortunate. One way is through the Knights Templar Eye Foundation. The Eye Foundation is a great humanitarian charity whose purpose is to provide research, surgical treatment and hospitalization to those who suffer from diseases or injury to the eyes. Cross-eyes, which occurs in children under 16 for example, is one affliction that can lead to blindness if not treated properly and is just one of the eye afflictions for which the Foundation provides considerable research and treatment funding.

Since its inception, the Knights Templar Eye Foundation has spent more than $71 million dollars to help provide medical treatment for those unable to afford it. Today, over 59,000 people have directly benefited from this financial assistance. And as always, treatments are provided regardless of race, color, creed, age, or national origin.

Research grants, totaling over $5 million dollars, have been made to institutions working in the field of Eye Research. Informative films are also available through local commanderies for presentation to churches, PTA meetings and other interested organizations. To this end, the Knights Templar, through the efforts of all its members, is committed to "Helping Others To See."

You can contact the Knights Templar Eye Foundation, Inc. at
            5097 North Elston Avenue, Suite 100
            Chicago, IL 60630-2460
            Phone: (773) 205-3838
            Fax: (773) 205-1689
            or by e-mail to ktef@knightstemplar.org

or you can visit their web site at http://www.knightstemplar.org/ktef/index.php to read much, much more about this wonderful charity.

Scottish Rite Hospital

In 1913, a friend of Forrest Adair, an Atlanta, Georgia (USA) financier and Scottish Rite Mason, suffered a dislocated hip in a train accident. Adair engaged orthopaedic surgeon Michael Hoke, M.D., to care for his friend. Through this connection, Dr. Hoke and Adair began a long friendship resulting in the involvement of Masons in the founding of the Scottish Rite Convalescent Hospital for Crippled Children.

That same year, Dr. Hoke treated a college student for a bone infection. During his treatment, the student stayed with his aunt Mrs. William C. (“Bertie”) Wardlaw, Sr., a neighbor and friend of Dr. Hoke. Wishing to express her appreciation for Dr. Hoke’s treatment of her nephew, Mrs. Wardlaw asked what she could do to honor him. He said if she would raise the money for the hospital expenses of indigent, crippled children, he would volunteer his time to treat those patients.

In 1915, The Scottish Rite Convalescent Hospital for Crippled Children was founded in Decatur in two rented cottages after funds are raised for the care of needy children by Mrs. Wardlaw and other philanthropic Atlantans. The facility gave indigent, crippled children a place to recover after having surgery at Piedmont Hospital and Wesley Memorial Hospital (now Emory University Hospital). It accommodated 18 patients, 20 in case of urgency. Michael Hoke, M.D., was named Medical Director.

In 1918, a new 50-bed building was opened in Decatur. The name was changed to Scottish Rite Hospital for Crippled Children, honoring the Masons who raised money to build the facility. It is now an orthopaedic surgical hospital for those who cannot afford to pay for care.

In 1933, Scottish Rite Mason Tom Slate convinced Georgia Tech Athletic Director Bill Alexander to allow the University of Georgia and Georgia Tech’s freshman teams to play on Tech’s Grant Field free of charge to benefit Scottish Rite. This begins the Scottish Rite football festival. Over 50 years later, it has evolved into a year-long series of fund-raising events involving hundreds of volunteers.

Finally, in 1966 the hospital began taking paying patients so that specialty pediatric care would also be available to those who can pay. Other surgical specialists joined the orthopaedics on staff as new surgical clinics were added and in 1971, additional services were developed including a Pediatric Continuity Clinic plus neurology, allergy, and cardiology clinics.

The Scottish Rite Children’s Hospital moved to a new, 50-bed facility on a seven-acre site in north Atlanta in 1976 and the Intensive Care Unit opened as a four-bed unit.

In 1985, the Emergency Department saw 5,000 patients in its first year of operation and the following year, a Pediatric Pulmonology Program was started. A year after that, Scottish Rite was one of Georgia’s first hospitals to receive state designation as a pediatric trauma center.

In 1989, the name was changed to Scottish Rite Children’s Medical Center, comprising the Scottish Rite Children’s Medical Center Foundation, the Meridian Mark Corporation (the holding company for the Children’s Medical Center Professional Building), and the Wilbur and Hilda Glenn Hospital for Children.

In addition, Scottish Rite was the first children’s hospital to have national “Miracle Children” in the Children’s Miracle Network telethon for two consecutive years.

They also opened The Center for Craniofacial Disorders and started the Dorsal Rhizotomy Surgery Program and Sleep Disorders Program.

In 1991, “Immunize Georgia’s Little Guys,” a state-wide coalition to increase immunization rates for children age two and under, was launched by Scottish Rite and in 1992, the Medical Center received Accreditation with Commendation, the highest rating possible, from the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO). Fewer than four percent of the hospitals surveyed nationally during the same period received this honor.

That same year, the Child Advocacy Center, which serves sexually abused children, opened with funding from the Employee Annual Fund Campaign and the School Outreach Program starts, reaching over 84,000 children in its first two years.

Statistics from the National Pediatric Trauma Registry show that Scottish Rite trauma patients are more seriously ill or injured than the national norm but, in the majority of areas, have superior outcomes.

In 1994, a national study of pediatric intensive care units published by The Journal of the American Medical Association, patients treated in Scottish Rite’s intensive care unit had the best outcomes and the following year Scottish Rite receives its second consecutive Accreditation with Commendation rating from the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO).

These are just a few of the tremendous accomplishments in the history of this marvelous medical facility.

For the year ended June, 1997, there were 41 Pediatric Specialties of the Medical Staff which consisted of 645 Physicians, Surgeons and Dentists. There were 5,350 Volunteers and 2,000 Employees. Emergency Department Visits totaled 67,179 while Patient Visits (Inpatient and Outpatient) totaled 161,336.

The Medical Center has 165 Inpatient Beds (including 39 ICU Beds) and there were nearly 15,000 surgeries (inpatient and outpatient) performed. With 27 single-specialty outpatient clinics and 13 multi-specialty clinics for treating complex conditions, Scottish Rite Children's Medical Center is a facility which truly cares for children!

The care provided is done in facilities specially designed for these young patients and this hospital is a proud member of the Masonic Charity family. You can find out more by visiting the Scottish Rite Children's Medical Center web site where you can also get some great information about children's health. Visit it now!

Hospital Visitation

The Masonic Service Association of North America conducts an active Hospital Volunteer Program in more than 157 Veterans Administration Medical Centers, several state operated Veterans Homes, and in a number of Military Hospitals in the United States and other countries, using hundreds of volunteers who contribute more than one quarter million volunteer hours of service each year. This program is wholly financed by the voluntary contributions of Masons and Masonic Bodies. More than nine million dollars have been expended in the operation of this Program since 1946.

"Little things mean a lot": a friendly smile, a warm handclasp, an embrace and a kind word can do as much for those who are lonely and depressed in a hospital or a nursing home as all the medicine that the doctors can prescribe. Particularly for veterans who may be without families, these Hospital Visitors provide a link with the outside world which is critical. The friendships formed and the appreciation of those who are hospitalized, sometimes for life, are a wonderful 'paycheck' for the work done. The Hospital Visitation Program is a vital part of the Fraternity that deserves your attention and needs your immediate help.

HERE'S HOW TO GET INVOLVED!

If you have time and want to become involved in a program that will give you a feeling of self-satisfaction and pride, knowing you are helping those who cannot help themselves, write to us. This program will help to make your life more meaningful!

WRITE TO:

The Masonic Service Association
Suite 203
8120 Fenton Street
Silver Spring, Maryland 20910-4785

or contact them from their web site above. It's a wonderful program!

The National Masonic Foundation for Children

"Healing Crippled Hearts"

Child ID Program

Here in Nevada, you can find out details by visiting this page.