I Pledge Allegiance…
Elks are community. No matter where you go in the country, an Elks Lodge is right around the corner. Elks provide charitable services that help build stronger communities with more than 700,000 Members and nearly 1,800 Lodges nationwide. Join us in service to your community.
Elks National Foundation invests in our country’s future by awarding more than $4.5 million in college scholarships each year. Two of its three scholarship programs are exclusively for Elks families. The Foundation also helps Elks to build stronger communities by funding local service projects that address unmet needs.
Elks Drug Awareness Program promotes cooperative approaches to prevent the use of illicit substances by young people. The program educates students, parents, schools, and volunteers about the dangers of drug use through literature, multimedia tools, workshops, and training seminars.
The Elks National Hoop Shoot is a free-throw contest for kids ages 8 to 13. The program encourages children to set challenging goals and push themselves to practice, persist, and, most importantly, develop grit during their formative years.
Elks sponsor activities from Little League to Scouting. More than 6 million youths participate in these activities each year.
Elks are committed to their mission, “So Long as there are Veterans, the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks will never forget them.” The Elks National Veterans Service Commission takes that pledge one step further and promises service to our nation’s veterans and military members with a special focus on service to those in need.
Elks are committed to ending veteran homelessness. Elks provide furniture and supplies for veterans exciting homelessness, offer emergency assistance to help veterans prevent or exit homelessness, host Stand Downs and resource fairs, support veterans shelters, and more.
Elks partner with the Department of Veterans Affairs to help veterans with disabilities by sponsoring adaptive sports programs and tournaments. Events like the National Veterans Winter Sports Clinic and the National Veterans Wheelchair Games serve hundreds of veterans each year, helping them recover, adjust, compete, and engage.
Elks support and befriend hospitalized and recovering veterans in VA hospitals and facilities nationwide. Hundreds of volunteers serve each month by planning recreational activities, hosting social events, teaching art and exercise classes, donating supplies, and more.
Elks use hundreds of thousands of dollars each year in grants to serve veterans and military members in their communities. Projects include providing hospitalized veterans with food and clothing, hosting military family recreation events, and helping homeless veterans.