BROTHERLY LOVE – RELIEF – TRUTH

Anson Jones Masonic Lodge is dedicated to providing substantial scholarships to graduating high school students planning to enroll in an accredited university or college. Scholarships range from $500-1000 and are awarded based on academic merit and need. No restrictions on area of study apply. Interested students are encouraged to fill out and submit the Anson Jones Lodge 1416 Scholarship Application Form (found by clicking the link below) along with two (2) letters of recommendation and a copy of their official transcript. Applicants must have earned a minimum grade point average of 2.5 on a 4.0 scale. All application materials must be received by the date indicated above to be considered.

The Knights Templar Educational foundation Committee considers all applications for scholarships, without regard to age, race, religion, National origin, gender, of Masonic ties or affiliations. These scholarships are not “grants in aid”, but are open to all students regardless of their financial circumstances.

In 1922, the Grand Encampment launched the Knights Templar Educational Foundation with the words: “We feel that the Grand Encampment can build no greater monument nor inaugurate a more worthwhile movement than to establish a plan which will put into effect a plan which will provide educational advantages for the youth of our beloved country, thereby enabling them to become more useful members of society and better Citizens of the United States of America.”

The Foundation was sustained and perpetuated by each Sir Knight paying annually the sum of $1.00 for a period of nine years beginning July 1, 1924. This Fund became available for student loans.

Through the years the fund has grown and Grants and Scholarships are available in several states. However, some states still continue to use the Loan program where the student is expected to repay the loan at a low interest rate. States have either Grants or Scholarships or Loans but not both.

The Texas Masonic Charities Foundation, Inc., a 501(c) (3) non-profit corporation, is the primary charitable organization affiliated with the Grand Lodge of Texas. While the Foundation feels a special responsibility for the care of our members and their families, it also provides support to people with no connection with the Masonic Fraternity. The Texas Masonic Charities Foundation works with local Masonic Lodges to help distribute funds. TMCF continues a program started in 2007 which allows businesses and individuals to support local lodge programs with tax deductible contributions to TMCF that are designated to specific charities.

The Humanitarian Foundation, a 501(c) (3) nonprofit organization,  is the official charity of the Grottoes of North America.  Created in 1949 by the Supreme Council of the Grottoes of North America, the Foundation conducts the Dental Program for Special Needs Children for the Grottoes. The delegates at its Supreme Council Session in June 1949 adopted a resolution to establish a national charitable program that was named the HUMANITARIAN FOUNDATION.

Prophets (Grotto Members), family and friends are encouraged to help continue the work of the Foundation by supporting the Enchanted Lantern Society, Fairchild Society and Legacy Society.  All money donated is deposited into the foundation trust, which only grants, interest and interest on investments are used each year.  This ensures that every gift will continue to brighten children’s smiles forever. 

In 1951, their first project was “Aid for the Cerebral Palsy Child,” from 1953 to 1970 the main thrust of the charitable trust.  In 1969 the Humanitarian Foundation Trustees, realizing that the momentum from the 1950’s to 1960’s, expanded their scope by adopting the Dentistry for the Handicapped child.  In 1969, they met and agreed the grotto would establish a dental clinic for the handicapped child at Illinois Masonic Medical Center.

In 1973, the Extension Program of the Dentistry for the Handicapped Child began, when the Trustees realized many children who did not live in the Chicago area could be treated locally and at less cost, without the burden of traveling and housing for the parent and child.

The program is now designed to help special children, under the age of 18, receive the best dental care possible.  Today the Humanitarian Foundation, has a unique partnership with qualified dentists throughout the United States and Canada.

The Knights Templar Eye Foundation, incorporated in 1956, is a charity sponsored by the Grand Encampment of Knights Templar. The Foundation is governed by a Board of Trustees comprised of the six elected officers of the Grand Encampment, all Past Grand Masters of the Grand Encampment, and six trustees-at-large elected from and by the membership for a term of nine years. It is exempt from federal income taxation under Section 501(c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code and contributions made to the Foundation are deductible by donors.

The original mission of the Foundation was “to provide assistance to those who face loss of sight due to the need for surgical treatment without regard to race, color, creed, age, sex or national origin provided they are unable to pay or receive adequate assistance from current government agencies or similar sources and to provide funds for research in curing diseases of the eye.”

On December 31, 2010, the Knights Templar Eye Foundation, Inc., by direction of the board, shifted the Foundation’s focus and adopted a new mission statement “to improve vision through research, education, and supporting access to care.” The Foundation now only participates in direct patient care through the Seniors Eye Care Program in partnership with EyeCare America and the Foundation of the American Academy of Ophthalmology. With this change, the Foundation is benefitting untold millions in generations to come through grants that support research and education. Our research dollars have helped develop new, nonsurgical, treatments for strabismus (crossed eyes) and ophthalmologists have told us that our efforts in funding pediatric ophthalmology research have been the primary reason that there are fewer and fewer surgeries for strabismus. The Knights Templar Eye Foundation, Inc., annually announces its call for research grant applications. The Foundation invites eligible investigators to submit applications for pediatric ophthalmology research grants for the award period which normally runs from July 1 to June 30. From the applications received, the Scientific Advisory Committee recommends to the Trustees which requests should be funded.

Since its inception, the Foundation has expended over $156 million on research, patient care, and education. Research grants totaling in excess of $28 million have been awarded to researchers working in the fields of pediatric ophthalmology and ophthalmic genetics.

Masonic Children & Family Services of Texas partners with charitable organizations, medical professionals and educational facilities to provide safety, comfort, food, shelter, healthcare and educational services–basic needs every child and family deserves. Our services include, but are not limited to funding for: food, clothing and family services; medical, dental and prescription services; counseling, psychological services and autism therapy; school supplies, tutoring and career counseling; case management and referral services for children, families and agencies. MCFS staff work to ensure that each applicant’s needs are assessed and reviewed on an individual basis. We can also provide information and referral services for all Texas children and families.

Masonic Home and School of Texas has been upholding our legacy of helping underserved children and Texas Masonic widows with great pride for more than a century. Starting in January 2019, we will continue to fulfill that mission under a new name that more clearly explains how we help those in our community – Masonic Children & Family Services of Texas. The generosity of Texas Masons and a wide range of individuals, businesses, and foundations make our programs possible.

Scottish Rite for Children is a world-renowned leader in the treatment of pediatric orthopedic conditions, sports injuries and fractures, as well as certain related arthritic and neurological disorders and learning disorders, such as dyslexia. 

Scottish Rite for Children was established in 1921 when a group of Texas Masons approached Dallas’ first orthopedic surgeon W.B. Carrell, M.D., about providing care to children with polio. With the introduction of the Salk and Sabin vaccines in the mid-1950s, which virtually eradicated polio in the Western Hemisphere, Scottish Rite broadened its focus to other orthopedic conditions.

We are dedicated to advancing treatment methods, conducting pioneering research and educating health care professionals locally and abroad to serve our commitment of giving children back their childhood.

Scottish Rite for Children sets the standard for pediatric orthopedics through our six Centers for Excellence in Spine, Hip, Hand, Foot, Limb Lengthening and Sports Medicine. 

For most of its history, our health care system has been known as Shriners Hospitals for Children. As we adapt to current nationwide trends in health care, especially the emphasis on outpatient care, and some locations become clinics or outpatient centers, we have introduced the phrase “Shriners Children’s.” It is shorter and more definitive – clearly stating who we are and what we care about. We are Shriners and our commitment is to Children. In today’s fast-paced world, this short phrase helps to succinctly and clearly define us.

Since opening our first hospital in 1922, we have been devoted to providing high-quality specialty medical care to the children and families who come to us, regardless of their ability to pay or insurance status. A century later, our commitment hasn’t changed — only expanded.

Our three-part mission has one goal: to change and improve lives. We do this by caring for our patients, conducting research to gain knowledge and develop new treatments, and providing educational opportunities for physicians and other healthcare professionals.