Masonic Home of Missouri Informational Guide
CONTENT History of the Masonic Home of Missouri 4
Outreach Programs 15
Support Us
31
Contact Us
39
Cover Page: Mrs. Lucy McGuire, a 96-yearold client who receives assistance through the Outreach Programs. (left) Photograph of the Masonic Home of Missouri’s Delmar Campus (St. Louis, MO) main house, Order of the Eastern Star Chapel, children and grounds. (circa 1897-1900) reprint 08/31/2016
Page 3
Our History At the 1885 session of the Grand Lodge of Missouri A.F. & A.M., a Committee, of which Rev. Dr. C.C. Wood was Chairman, was appointed to investigate the subject of establishing a Masonic Home in the State. In 1886, the Committee reported in favor of the proposition and the Grand Lodge endorsed the same and appropriated $10,000 to assist in carrying out the plan. A Board of Directors was chosen, and the organization effected. In 1886, the Missouri Knight Templar Triennial Committee held a conclave in St. Louis and provided entertainment, with the splendid sum of $35,000 raised to benefit the Home. Subscriptions from Lodges, Chapters, Commanderies and individual members amounting to $20,000 were also made. The Masonic Home of Missouri was founded upon the idea of providing a suitable and healthy place for the widows and orphans of worthy, deceased Missouri Master Masons to live. At this time in history, there were no such programs as Social Security, Medicare or Medicaid. In 1889, the property on Delmar Avenue near Union Avenue was purchased for the sum of $40,000. The property contained fifteen acres of ground with a large residence of about twenty rooms. On the 15th of June 1889, the Home was dedicated by the Officers of the Grand Lodge, and entertainment was provided on the grounds that realized over $7,000 for the Home. At the session of the Grand Lodge in 1891, it was decided to have all the Lodges in the State contribute 50 cents per annum from each member for the support of the Home. Postcard photo of original Masonic Home of Missouri building (photo courtesy of Masonic Home of Missouri archives)
Page 4
aising children and caring for the elderly required special R administrators. The Board hired skilled, compassionate staff, thereby forming a nurturing and productive facility. The Board of Directors hired a medical doctor, Morris Leftwich, and his wife, Ella, to run the Home. Together, they created the philosophy and set a standard that became the foundation for the Home. The Leftwichs’ valued education, household chores, recreational activities and social obligations.
Postcard photo of Ella D. and Morris Leftwich, first Matron and Patron of the Home. (photo courtesy of Masonic Home of Missouri archives)
Della Gale Farthing, age 12, from Greenfield, Missouri was the first resident admitted into the Home on July 12, 1889. For the first several years after the Home was opened, it was funded in large part through generous donations from Missouri Masons and Order of the Eastern Star members. y the year 1890, the 25 people living at the Masonic Home had B running water, electricity, and indoor plumbing. In addition to these technological advancements, the Home was beginning to struggle to find space for all those in need. In 1891, the Home was forced to convert the large brick barn into a dining room, chapel, kitchen, supply room and play rooms, and the coal house into dormitories. A year later, the Home would expand again with an eighteen room brick building for the adults, which separated them from the children‘s living quarters. This structure would later be converted into a hospital. During the 20th Annual Grand Chapter Session of the Order of the Eastern Star held in Chillicothe in October 1894, Past Grand Master and then current Grand Secretary John D. Vincil, the first Page 5
Worthy Grand Patron of the Grand Chapter of Missouri, Order of the Eastern Star, advised those in attendance of the need for a chapel at the Masonic Home. The Grand Chapter appropriated $500 to begin the fundraising efforts. When the members returned home, they reported the need to their Chapters and interest was awakened throughout the state. The plans for the chapel with a 500 seating capacity were drawn by Brother G. U. Heimberger, with a cost of $3,533.00 to build. At the time of its construction, it was reported to have been the only Eastern Star Chapel in the world. On October 21, 1897, the Chapel was dedicated by Grand Master B. Tygard and Grand Lodge Officers. The following words were spoken by the Worthy Grand Matron in her address at the dedication ceremony: It is a building dedicated to God, for the edification and happiness of the orphans and the aged, who are under the protecting wings of the noblest order on earth.
Photo of the original Order of the Eastern Star Chapel. Dedicated in 1897. (photo courtesy of Masonic Home of Missouri archives)
The Home would continue to build to meet the demands for space and facilities in which to care for its residents. On March 18, 1911, the Cornerstone of the Hospital was laid. This facility would provide space and equipment for both surgical and medical treatment. That same year, a new power house was also built. Three years later, the Home would open the new Administration and Children’s Building. The old mansion had remained through all of this growth and change. It had been used primarily for administrative purposes at the end of its 25 years of service to the Home. However, the opening of the new Administration and Children’s Building in 1914 meant it Page 6
was time to let go of the mansion, despite the strong sentimental attachments to it. This would become the first building the Masonic Home would have to let go of in order to move the charity forward to better serve the needs of the membership. In 1926, the children would have the extraordinary treat of having a swimming pool built for them. Funded by Mrs. Rosa Graff, she built the pool in memory of her brother, Past Grand Master Jacob Lampert. He had served as Grand Master in 1912 and was a strong supporter of the Home with many donations, including a final donation of $25,000.00.
Photo of children playing in the pool at the Delmar campus. (photo courtesy of Masonic Home of Missouri archives)
During the 1928 Annual Communication of the Grand Lodge, the new Order of the Eastern Star Chapel was dedicated. All art glass had been carefully removed from the original chapel, repaired as needed, and installed, along with seven new pieces. This new chapel cost $85,000-$90,000 and was again funded by the Order of the Eastern Star Chapters and Clubs. It was built on the foundation of the original chapel with a seating capacity of 450 and had a children’s platform for 140. The architect was Brother H.L. Clymer.
Photo of the 1928 Order of the Eastern Star Chapel.
(photo courtesy of Masonic Home of Missouri archives)
Page 7
St. Louis continued to change, and the neighborhood around the Home began changing. Those moving into the Delmar area were not able or not willing to maintain the grandeur that had previously been so prevalent. By 1969, the Board of Directors decided to look into relocation rather than building or renovating the campus on Delmar Boulevard. However, this did not stop the care and extra attention given to those living at the Home. In May 1969, the Order of the Eastern Star arranged for all 27 children living at the Home to fly to Philadelphia and Washington D.C. Missouri Senator Stuart Symington met the children and gave them an American flag that had flown over the U.S. Capitol. The Home displayed that flag in the Administration Building for many years. By 1974, the relocation study concluded that the Home should continue to operate the St. Louis facility and recommended adding a new facility in Kansas City. The study indicated that most of the residents living at the Delmar campus were from the St. Louis area, which meant that the Home was not serving Masons statewide. Adding a facility in Kansas City would provide a Masonic Home in both primary population centers. By the late 1980s, a larger societal shift began to occur regarding social services that were available for those in need. More children became part of the Foster Care system and various home-based aid programs, such as Aid to Dependent Children, began. The last child left the Home in 1981, and the Home faced a changing population, and workforce. Most of the 400 residents were elderly Masonic widows and nearly one-third of the women traced themselves through the Order of the Eastern Star membership. Their families lived in or near St. Louis and could visit the residents regularly.​ The neighborhood began to change as well. As families began to re-locate to the suburbs, the once stately homes began to deteriorate from age and the costs associated to maintain them. The Home was no longer in the best neighborhood. On May 6, 1984, the ground breaking for the new Home in Kansas City would be held. The new assisted living facility was to be a one-story brick building with a center commons area that would include a reception area, administrative offices, doctors examination room, nurses station, beauty and barber shop, snack room and multipurpose areas. The facility would have two wings for residents rooms, and could be home to 40 residents. Additional wings could be added later to the structure if there was a need. The Cornerstone laying took place on September 15, 1985, and the facility opened June 27, 1986. The first resident entered on July 8, 1986. Page 8
The Order of the Eastern Star would again play an important role in bringing the Western Unit into reality. They contributed kitchen equipment, quilts, televisions with stands, and once again they would ensure that there was a chapel for the residents. On July 27, 1986, the Cornerstone for the Order of the Eastern Star Chapel and a multi-purpose addition was laid. This chapel was fully funded by the Order of the Eastern Star.
Photo of the Western Unit located in Kansas City, Missouri. (photo courtesy of Masonic Home of Missouri archives)
In 1989, the Delmar Campus would celebrate its 100 years of dedicated service to Missouri Masons, widows, Order of the Eastern Star members and children. Despite this joyous and momentous occasion, there were serious concerns the Board of Directors had to address. After being a home to 912 children, the last child had left the Home in 1981. The neighborhood around the facility had seen a decline, which caused significant safety concerns for residents, staff, and visitors. The building structures were inadequate, inefficient and not up to the standards needed to provide the quality of care the Home wished to maintain. Due to the outdated nature of the structures, it made compliance with government regulations difficult. At the same time, there were increasing costs to provide care and maintain the infrastructure, there was a decrease in revenue and a decrease in the number of residents wanting to move to the facility. ​ In 1991, the Board of Directors sold the Delmar property to the State of Missouri. For more than 100 years, the Masonic Home of Missouri provided quality direct care in St. Louis and Kansas City. However, the Board of Directors recognized that instead of providing direct care to relatively few members of the fraternity, the Masonic Home of Missouri could tailor assistance to the needs of the membership, while reaching statewide to help people remain in their own homes and communities. Always farsighted, the Home added Outreach Programs for Missouri Master Masons, their wives, widows, and Missouri female members of the Order of the Eastern Star. The Page 9
community-based program made “the Home truly a concept with unlimited potential, in our minds, and not just a visual brick and mortar old folks home.” In addition, the Life Care Program, an asset turnover program, was discontinued. By 2011, the Masonic Home’s Board of Directors was again struggling to maintain a facility in need of updates, remodeling and repairs while the demand for the Home to provide direct care services had declined. At the same time, the Outreach Program was helping more people more cost effectively statewide. The Board of Directors made the difficult decision to sell the Western Unit to a Mason-owned, Missouri-based, long-term care company, Americare. The Masonic Home of Missouri continued to financially assist the Outreach clients who remained at the facility after ownership changed. In 2014, the Masonic Home of Missouri celebrated 125 years of charitable service to the Masonic Fraternity. When the State tore down the Delmar Campus buildings, the Order of the Eastern Star paid $21,000 to remove the art glass from the Chapel for preservation and possible future usage or display. As part of our 125th Anniversary Celebration, the Home, in partnership with several Lodges, Chapters, and individuals, restored nine pieces of the art glass from the original chapels. These art glass panes are on display at the Masonic Complex in Columbia, Missouri. From a brick and mortar structure to the current Outreach Programs, the Home is proud of its history. Not only is the Home proud of its past, but the charity is also committed to ensuring that the ability to assist all eligible Master Masons, their wives, widows, female members of the Order of the Eastern Star and children throughout the State of Missouri continues for years to come. As of 2015, the Masonic Home of Missouri has nine (9) Outreach Programs offering financial assistance and resources or advisory services. The need for our assistance continues to grow. Please consider helping us continue in our mission and allowing us to be “where you are.”
Page 10
Missouri Masonic Museum Reflected Values- Brotherly Love, Relief and Truth
Did you know that the Grand Lodge of Missouri and the State of Missouri were both founded in 1821? (Grand Lodge was founded first in April and Missouri officially became the 24th State in the Union in August) How about that the Governor of Missouri during the 1904 St. Louis World’s Fair was a Mason? Or, that Eastern Star women include Missouri transplants such as Laura Ingalls Wilder? Did you know that Ste. Genevieve is home to the first Masonic meeting west of the Mississippi River? Or that Samuel Clemens joined the riverboat pilots’ Masonic Lodge in St. Louis? Did you know it was a Missouri Mason, Ray Denslow, who helped European Masons reestablish themselves after the devastation left in the wake of World War II? The Missouri Masonic Museum has five featured galleries: Pioneers and Pathmakers, Living Well, Generosity, Leadership, and Everyman. The Pioneers and Pathmakers gallery features some of the important Masonic founders of our country and state. There are three historic Masonic Aprons featured in this gallery. One apron was owned by Garrett C. Stewart who served as an Engineer under General George Washington. His family then crossed the prairie to western Missouri, bringing this keepsake from the family’s revolutionary service with them. A second apron belonged to George Henry Curzon Melody. Melody arrived in St. Louis by 1820 and quickly became involved in St. Louis Masonry. He helped found the Grand Lodge of Missouri. The Melody apron is actually an apron for Royal Arch Masonry. His apron is included in the section dedicated to the founding of the Grand Lodge of Missouri in 1821. The third apron is on loan from Palestine Lodge No. 241 in St. Charles, and it belonged to lodge Brother William Clark. Page 11
Clark is well known as half of the team that led the Corps of Discovery across the western half of the continent in search of the River of the West for President Thomas Jefferson. Clark received his Masonic degrees in St. Louis Lodge in 1809. Clark’s partner, Meriwether Lewis helped to found the Grand Lodge of Missouri A.F. & A.M. All three aprons are painted silk with fringe; Clark’s apron is fringed with heavy gold bullion befitting of a military man. The Masonic Home is grateful to the Grand Lodge of Missouri for allowing the Stewart & Melody aprons to be placed on permanent display as well as St. Charles/Palestine Lodge No. 241 for the Clark apron. The Living Well gallery centers on the Masonic Home and the life of the residents of the Home. One of the displays in this gallery features one of the Masonic Home’s most famous children – Gladys Goodding. The Masonic Home admitted 10 year old Goodding and her little brother Hugh in 1903. In addition to ensuring that all of the children in the Home’s orphanage received an education, the Masonic Home also placed emphasis on providing musical education to the children. Gladys Goodding was one of the children that excelled in music, leaving the Home at the age of 18 to pursue her musical career. Goodding eventually became the organist and soloist for Madison Square Garden and for Ebbets Baseball Field in New York City. Her rendition of the National Anthem became known throughout the radio-listening world. As you move through the Living Well gallery, the influence of Laura Ingalls Wilder is captured. Laura Ingalls Wilder was one of 25 Charter members of Mansfield Chapter No. 76, Order of the Eastern Star. Mansfield Chapter No. 76 was Instituted and Constituted on May 15, 1897, and Laura served as Esther that first year. She would
Laura Ingalls Wilder exhibit
Page 12
go on to serve in many capacities including as Worthy Matron, Secretary, and District Deputy Grand Lecturer. Laura Ingalls Wilder is best known for her popular Little House on the Prairie series. She began writing the fictionalized version of her childhood on the frontier in 1932, and she would complete the series over the next eleven years. Wilder’s Mansfield Home graciously has on loan a few precious items from Wilder’s personal wardrobe. The museum has on display a handkerchief Wilder embroidered and a pair of stylish gloves she wore. The Generosity Gallery shares those stories of Masonic generosity that helped make the Masonic Home of Missouri a reality. It shares both individual stories and stories about how Masonic Lodges, Chapters and other organizations contributed to found and sustain the Masonic Home. Past Grand Master Jacob Lampert is a featured individual story in the gallery. Lampert and his family came to the United States from Holland via England in 1858 when Lampert was two years old. By the time Lampert and his family moved to St. Louis in 1876, he had completed his apprenticeship as a cigar maker. The young man immediately became involved with Masonry at age 22 in Itaska Lodge No. 420. He would ultimately have the honor of serving as Grand Master in 1912-1913. He would support the Masonic Home throughout his life, which spread to generosity by his family as well. In 1926, his sister, Mrs. Rosa Graff, funded a swimming pool at the Masonic Home’s campus on Delmar Boulevard in memory of her brother. The family’s generosity continued into the 21st Century through estate gifts. Another featured story in the Generosity Gallery is that of the 1886 Knights Templar’s efforts to raise funds to establish a Missouri Masonic Home. During the 1886 Grand Encampment in St. Louis, Past Grand Master John D. Vincil and Past Grand Master John R. Parson used the event to hold a Grand Concert at the Fair Grounds raising $35,000, which would become the nucleus for the Masonic Home building fund. PGM John D. Vincil was Grand Secretary of the Grand Lodge of Missouri at the time, as well as a member of the Masonic Home Board. PGM John R. Parson’s lifelong commitment to the Home earned him the title of “Father to the Home”. The Leadership Gallery is where you will find a special tribute to one of Missouri’s most famous masons. U.S. President Harry S. Truman served as Grand Master in 1940-1941, during the dark times of World War II. As Senator, he helped guide the nation through that war, then as President he helped end the war. Truman was initiated, passed and raised in Belton Lodge No. 450 in 1909. His Page 13
Harry S. Truman painting
every few years.
petition and copies of the ledger books with those degree dates are on display thanks to Belton Lodge No. 450. Also, on display are his Grand Master’s Masonic Collar and Grand Master’s Gavel, on loan from the Grand Lodge of Missouri. The National Park Service, which runs the family homestead in Independence, Missouri, has also graciously loaned to the Masonic Home items that belonged to Truman. These displayed items are rotated
The final gallery in the Masonic Museum is called the Everyman Gallery. This gallery is intended to be a rotating display giving Missouri lodges or chapters an opportunity to display items of Masonic historical importance in the museum. The gallery currently features the Charles Lindberg gavel and Mark Twain-Samuel Clemmon’s gavel, both on loan from Polar Star-Rose Hill Lodge No. 79. Also, on display is a beautiful 1800s Masonic silk apron on loan from Mount Hope Lodge No. 476, and the Order of the Eastern Star has a display dedicated to Mary Jane Truman. If your lodge or chapter is interested in loaning items of historical Masonic significance to the museum for a display, please contact the Masonic Home of Missouri at (800) 434-9804.
The museum can be made available for visiting 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday when the Masonic Complex is open. Although no appointments are necessary, you are welcome to call the Masonic Home of Missouri at (800) 434-9804 with any questions you might have regarding availability. Page 14
Outreach Programs Evolve The Board of Directors recognized that the cost of providing longterm care was increasing dramatically. They also recognized that only a small portion of the Masonic family was being served. People were no longer willing to leave their families and communities to move to the Home. In response, the Home once again adjusted to meet the ever-changing needs of the membership. The Outreach Program was developed. This was a need-based financial assistance program that could help Missouri Masons, their wives, widows and female members of the Order of the Eastern Star in their own homes and communities. The first client was assisted through the Outreach Program in 1991. The Outreach Program would grow and evolve, as the Masonic Home had always done to meet the changing needs of the membership. In 2003, the Masonic Home would again get back to its original mission and begin helping children through the Children’s Outreach Program and the Creating-A-Partnership (CAP) Program. As the needs of the membership have continued to change throughout the years, the Masonic Home has adapted and added programs to financially aid or provide resource support for the membership. We continue to support and follow our mission statement:
Page 15
Outreach Programs The Masonic Home of Missouri started the Outreach Program in 1991. At that time, the Masonic Home of Missouri’s Board of Directors recognized that there was a need to help Missouri Master Masons, wives, widows and female members of the Order of the Eastern Star throughout the state in their own communities. The Outreach Program began as one financial assistance program and has grown and evolved into nine (9) distinct programs. The Masonic Home’s Outreach Programs provide both financial and resource-oriented support. The Long-Term Financial Assistance Program provides financial on-going assistance for longer periods of time for such things as assisted living care. The Short-Term Financial Assistance Program provides limited financial assistance, such as help with one-time medical needs. The Children’s Outreach Program provides financial assistance to legal dependents of Missouri Master Masons or Missouri female members of the Order of the Eastern Star. The Creating-A-Partnership Program (CAP) is a matching funds program that creates a partnership between the Masonic Home and the Lodges/Chapters to assist children in need in their community.
Photo of the Hall Family who were aided by the Children’s Outreach Program. (photo courtesy of Masonic Home of Missouri archives)
The Armed Forces Program has two components: The Veterans Program and Partnering to Honor (PTH) which allow the Masonic Home and Lodges/Chapters to honor those who have served and are currently serving our Country.
Page 16
The Masonic Family Cares Program helps facilitate connections between Lodges, Chapters, youth organizations and the Masonic brothers and sisters in their communities. The Social Services Program helps individuals locate services throughout the state. The Widows Program was developed to bring Masonic Widows, the local Masonic Home Representatives, and the Masonic Home of Missouri together to recognize and assist our Masonic Widows. The Financial Education Program helps individuals learn skills, such as budgeting and debt management. To learn more about the Outreach Programs, please contact the Masonic Home of Missouri at (800) 434-9804 or visit our website at www.mohome.org.
Page 17
Long-Term Financial Assistance Program The Masonic Home of Missouri provides eligible senior adults with financial assistance to remain in their homes, apartments, independent living facilities, and assisted living facilities. Some applicants qualify for monthly financial assistance, while others only need assistance with individual one-time payments, such as medical bills, hearing aids, or dental work. To qualify for financial assistance, all applicants must be a Missouri Master Mason, their wife/widow or a female member of the Order of the Eastern Star in good standing. The Masonic Home reviews Age and Length of Membership requirements on all applicants. In addition, applicants must complete a financial application to demonstrate a financial need. Age and Length of Membership Requirements
Page 18
Applicant age when raised as Master Mason
Continuous Good Standing requirements prior to application
Prior to the age of 40
5 years
40 - 49 years
10 years
50-59 years
15 years
60+ years
20 years
Photo: (Left) The Kings were clients of the Home for several years. This photo was taken during a visit with the Kings. Mr. King passed just days later. Mrs. Shirley King continued to be assisted by the Masonic Home of Missouri with her assisted living facility bills.
Short-Term Financial Assistance Program The Short-Term Financial Assistance Program provides limited financial assistance to younger Missouri Masons, their wives/widows or female members of the Order of the Eastern Star. This program recognizes that younger members might be in need of assistance due to unexpected hardships, such as an unexpected medical event. Assistance is often provided through individual one-time payments, such as assistance with medical bills or utilities. However, limited monthly financial assistance might be available in certain situations lasting six (6) months or less. There are Age and Length of Membership requirements, and all applicants must complete a financial application to demonstrate a financial need. Age and Length of Membership Requirements Applicant age when raised as Master Mason
Continuous Good Standing requirements prior to application
Prior to the age of 40
5 years
40 - 49 years
10 years
50-59 years
15 years
60+ years
20 years
Photo: (Right) Timothy Fowler was assisted by the Masonic Home of Missouri after being medically discharged from the military. His retirement pay was not processed correctly and he needed help with living expenses until the pay issue could be resolved. Page 19
Application Process for Long-Term & Short-Term Assistance The first step in requesting financial assistance is to complete the Initial Application. This can be accessed on the Masonic Home’s website at www.mohome.org or mailed upon request. The Initial Application is used to verify the client’s Masonic membership. Once membership is verified, the caseworker will contact the individual(s) indicated on the application. After discussing the client’s situation and the Masonic Home’s Outreach Programs, the client can decide if he/she would like to schedule an appointment with the caseworker to complete a full financial application. The applicant is asked to disclose all information regarding assets, debts, income and expenses. Almost all financial applications are taken in person by the caseworker, and the caseworker travels to the client to complete the paperwork. Once the application is completed and all documentation is provided, the request for financial assistance is reviewed by the Board of Directors. The Masonic Home of Missouri’s Board of Directors reviews and makes the determination of assistance on all completed applications. The Board makes this determination ‘blind’ to the applicant(s) name, location and/or Lodge/Chapter. The applicant is referred to as “John” or “Jane Doe” to avoid any conflict of interest due to personal knowledge of the applicant. The Financial Assistance caseworker follows up with the client after the Board Meeting to inform the client of the Board of Directors determination.
Page 20
Children’s Financial Outreach Program The Children’s Outreach Program provides financial assistance to legal dependents of Missouri Master Masons or Missouri female members of the Order of the Eastern Star. Assistance provided through this program may help with medical care and services such as dental, hearing, vision, therapy and equipment. The parents or legal guardians of the child must demonstrate a financial need and complete the financial application on the child’s behalf. Age and Length of Membership requirements are reviewed on all applications, but the requirement is different from the Long-Term and Short-Term Programs; the parent or legal guardian must have two years of membership prior to application. Legal dependents must be 21 years of age or younger or over the age of 21 with a physical or mental disability.
Photo: Katie and her family received assistance with bills arising from a medical condition. (photo courtesy of the Masonic Home of Missouri archives).
Page 21
Creating-A-Partnership Program (CAP) The Creating-A-Partnership Program (CAP) is a matching funds program that creates a partnership between the Masonic Home and Lodges/Chapters throughout the state to help children in need within their communities. The Masonic Home may match up to $10,000.00 per Lodge or Chapter each fiscal year, July 1st through June 30th. Individual Child/Children Lodges and Chapters can work within their community to identify a child or children in need through schools or other local community organizations. Assistance can help to provide clothing, school supplies, coats, shoes, hats and gloves, hygiene items, eye glasses, dental work, etc. Project-Based Lodges and Chapters can identify projects within their communities through schools or through other charitable organizations. Recipients of the CAP Project-Based funds must be a 501(c)(3) as defined by the IRS or a public entity, such as a school. An example of a project that may qualify is the backpack food program found in communities statewide, which provides food over the weekend for schoolchildren in need. Matching funds must go toward the purchase of specific items, such as food or backpacks. The Masonic Home will not match funds for general operating expenses. This program is not intended to be used as a Thanksgiving or Christmas program. Page 22
Completing the CAP Application Once a need has been identified, the Lodge or Chapter must complete and submit their application along with their matching funds to the Masonic Home. The application can be accessed on the Masonic Home of Missouri’s website at www.mohome.org or mailed upon request. After the application is approved, the Home will return to the Lodge or Chapter a check with the matching funds. Approved funds will be sent to the Lodge/Chapter payable to the designated store or 501(c) (3) organization. The Masonic Home will not reimburse Masonic Lodges, Chapters or individual members of a Lodge or Chapter. Purchases must be made within five (5) days of receiving the funds. Once items are purchased and/or funds donated, the Lodge or Chapter will be responsible for providing a copy of the receipt(s) and/or a letter from the organization showing how funds were spent. The Lodge/ Chapter will not be able to make additional requests until all receipts are received. All matching funds must be raised by the Lodge and/or Chapter and the application must contain two signatures, with one being either the Worshipful Master, Worthy Matron, Lodge/Chapter Secretary or Treasurer.
Photo: Just a sample of the check presentations that Lodges have done in their communities through this program. (photo courtesy of the Masonic Home of Missouri archives). Page 23
Armed Forces Program Veterans Program The Masonic Home is asking for help in identifying Masonic Veterans. Please contact the Masonic Home at (800) 434-9804 to add the veterans in your Lodge or Chapter to our list. We will need their name, address, date of birth, Branch of Service and Service Dates. Once a Masonic Veteran is identified, the Masonic Home will send him or her a veterans lapel pin as a small token of our appreciation for his or her service to our Country. Throughout the year, the Masonic Home will send special mailings to those veterans to honor and thank them for their service.
Partnering to Honor (PTH) The Partnering to Honor Program (PTH) is a matching funds program between the Masonic Home and local Lodges and Chapters. It provides an opportunity to join together to help fund Honor Flights and care packages to those individuals currently serving. The Masonic Home may match up to $10,000.00 per Lodge or Chapter each fiscal year, July 1st to June 30th. Honor Flights Honor Flights (www.honorflight.org) started in 2005. This program honors veterans by helping them visit Washington D.C. to visit their memorial. The Masonic Home partners with Lodges and Chapters throughout Missouri to help fund some of these Honor Flights for our well-deserved veterans. The Masonic Home is not affiliated with the Honor Flight Program, nor is the Masonic Home responsible for any aspect of the Honor Flight Program. The Masonic Home works only with Lodges and Chapters to help fund this program. If you are a veteran interested in the Honor Flight, you must contact the Honor Flight Program directly. Page 24
Care Packages Lodges and Chapters can work within their Lodge or Chapter to make and send care packages to active duty members, serving overseas or in the United States. There are some organizations that put together care packages and accept monetary donations, such as church, VFW or American Legions. If your Lodge or Chapter would like to donate toward a care package that will be made by another entity, Lodge or Chapter funds may be matched. Matching funds must go toward the purchase of specific items. The Masonic Home will not match funds for general operating expenses.
Completing the Partnering to Honor Application The Lodge or Chapter must complete and submit their application along with their matching funds to the Masonic Home. The application can be accessed on the Masonic Home of Missouri’s website at www.mohome.org or mailed upon request. After the application is approved, the Home will return to the Lodge or Chapter a check with the matching funds. Approved funds will be sent to the Lodge/Chapter payable to the designated store or 501(c) (3) organization. The Masonic Home will not reimburse Masonic Lodges, Chapters or individual members of a Lodge or Chapter. Once items are purchased and/or funds donated, the Lodge or Chapter will be responsible for providing a copy of the receipt(s) and/or a letter from the organization showing how funds were spent. The Lodge/Chapter will not be able to make additional requests until all receipts are received. All matching funds must be raised by the Lodge and/or Chapter and the application must contain two signatures, with one being either the Worshipful Master, Worthy Matron, Lodge/Chapter Secretary or Treasurer.
Page 25
Masonic Family Cares Program
Sometimes the Masonic Home receives a call, and the assistance needed is a helping hand or a friendly visit from a local Lodge or Chapter member. The Masonic Family Cares program helps to create a connection between the member and the Lodge or Chapter acting as the liaison to help bring the two together. A Lodge or Chapter may find that a Missouri Mason, his wife or widow, or a female member of the Order of the Eastern Star has a need that the Lodge or Chapter can assist with, but there is a financial component. For example, a Brother might need a ramp for wheelchair access to his home due to a change in his health. The Lodge Brothers would like to build the ramp, but the Brother cannot afford the cost of materials. The Lodge or Chapter can complete an application indicating the cost for materials along with how their volunteer hours will be used in conjunction with the funds requested from the Masonic Home. The Masonic Home may grant funds up to $10,000.00 per Lodge or Chapter each fiscal year, July 1st to June 30th. If your Lodge or Chapter is already lending that helping hand to those brothers and sisters in need, please share your stories with the Masonic Home at (800) 434-9804, so we can feature it in our Missouri Outreach magazine.
Page 26
Widows Program When the Masonic Home learns of a Masonic widow, we honor her by sending a special pin and a widows card listing her late husband’s Masonic record should she ever need assistance from the Masonic Home. In addition, the Masonic Home continues to maintain contact throughout the year with cards and the Missouri Outreach magazine. Photo of our Widows Pin (photo courtesy of the Masonic Home of
The Masonic Home Missouri archives). works with local Lodge Masonic Home Representatives to maintain up-to-date and accurate listings of widows. If you are a Missouri Masonic widow and have not been contacted by the Masonic Home, please contact us at (800) 434-9804. We would enjoy keeping you updated on the Masonic Home and provide a link to a Masonic Lodge, if needed. Ladies Luncheons & Teas
Throughout the year, many Lodges and Chapters host Ladies Luncheons & Teas in partnership with the Masonic Home of Missouri. These important meetings allow the spouses and widows to hear first-hand about the Outreach Programs that the Home offers and to ask any questions that they might have. To find a calendar of these events, please visit our website at www.mohome.org.
Page 27
Social Services Program Families struggle with making decisions for themselves and their loved ones every day, and part of that struggle is simply not knowing what resources are available or understanding all of the complexities. Through the Social Services Program, the Masonic Home provides guidance, information and assistance. There are no eligibility requirements, as this service is available to any Missouri fraternal family member. To utilize the Social Service Program, please call the Masonic Home at (800) 434-9804 and ask to speak to an Outreach Caseworker. The caseworker can discuss your situation and help you locate services and resources in your area. The Masonic Home also maintains a list of agencies and resources specific to each Missouri County, which is provided on the Masonic Home’s website at www. mohome.org. It is located in the Outreach Program section under the Social Service Program.
Page 28
Financial Education Program The Financial Education Program offers financial education services to of Masonic members and their family members through individual consultations and large group presentations. Unlike the Financial Assistance Programs, the Financial Education Program does not require participants to meet Age & Length of Membership guidelines to participate. The majority of the clients in the Financial Education Program receive one-on-one consultations to address their specific financial needs and focus on areas in which they require the most support. Areas most often addressed include budgeting, prioritizing expenses, debt management, and setting short-term financial goals. Participants in the program are both referred from the Financial Assistance Programs, to address financial concerns or crisis, and self-referred, to avoid a financial crisis or prepare for an expected transition. Our Accrediated Financial Counselor also provides large group educational presentations on most requested financial topics. These presentations are an excellent opportunity to provide service to your local Lodge and Chapter members, as well as opportunity to connect with Masonic widows, youth, and other members of your community. These presentations are free of charge.
Page 29
When Someone is in Need The Masonic Home of Missouri provides charitable assistance to eligible Master Masons, their wives, widows, female members of the Order of the Eastern Star, and children throughout the State of Missouri. If you are in need or know of someone in need, there are several ways to contact the Home for yourself or to make a referral. • By calling us at (800) 434-9804 (Toll Free) and ask to speak to a Financial Outreach Caseworker • By email to rlightfoot@mohome.org • Fill out our on-line application at www.mohome.org • Download, print and mail the application which is available at the above website or by request by calling the Masonic Home of Missouri • Talk to your Masonic Home Representative in your Lodge to be referred • Fill out an on-line referral card for yourself or someone else in need. This can be located at www.mohome.org or is available by request After staff receives the referral and makes contact with the person being referred (usually within 2 working days), the staff will gather pertinent information from the referred individual and makes an appointment to speak to them in person if appropriate. All referrals are confidential.
Page 30
Ways to Support
Help Us Support Our Mission!
• Refer your Masonic Brothers and Sisters in need. • Encourage your Lodge or Chapter to partner with the Home to help children in your community through the Creating-APartnership Program. • Encourage your Lodge or Chapter to partner with the Home to recognize and assist Veterans through the Armed Forces Program • Encourage your Lodge’s Masonic Home Representative or Secretary to keep your Lodge’s widows list up-to-date and communicate it with the Home. • Get educated about the Home’s Outreach Programs and spread the word. • Schedule a Ladies Luncheon or Tea in your area and get the local Lodges and Chapters involved. • Donate to the Masonic Home. Help Us Fund Our Mission! ** Every gift makes a difference ** • • • • • • • • • •
Become an Annual Truman Club member. Donate to the Masonic Home’s annual appeals. Set up a recurring gift. Support the Annual Golf Tournament with a sponsorship and/ or team. Leave a permanent legacy by having a stone engraved in the Square & Compass Courtyard. Speak with our Major Gifts Officer about supporting the Home with a larger gift. Encourage your Lodge or Chapter to become active members of The Vincil Society. Remember the Masonic Home in your estate planning and become a member of The Legacy Society. Encourage your Lodge brothers to give to the Penny-A-Day Program. Visit us online at www.mohome.org & click “Donate”. Page 31
A Society of the Masonic Home of Missouri
Harry S Truman exemplified the tenants of Brotherly Love, Relief, and Truth. In honor of his commitment to the Masonic Home of Missouri in the fulfillment of these tenets, it is appropriate that those who are dedicated to the mission of the Masonic Home be banded together in a donor society named in his honor — The Truman Club. The Truman Club was developed to recognize those loyal donors who support the Home with on-going annual giving. The fact is that no Masonic jurisdiction can maintain a truly great relief organization by membership dues alone. Substantial giving from individuals and couples provides the margin of excellence to which we aspire. With the support of Truman Club members, we are able to transform the Masonic tenets into reality for Masonic Brothers, Sisters, and children in need throughout the state. Membership Eligibility To be eligible for membership in The Truman Club, an individual must make an annual commitment of at least $100.00 in taxdeductible contributions during the calendar year. Membership is renewable each year on January 1st. Truman Giving Societies Once your cumulative giving reaches $1,000.00, you will become a member of the first giving society and receive the distinctive Harry S. Truman bust symbolizing the enduring legacy made possible by your giving. As your annual donations accumulate, you have the opportunity to move through the society levels, each named after one of Missouri’s most illustrious Masons and Eastern Star Members.
Page 32
The Society Levels are below: Amount $1,000 - $2,499 $2,500 - $4,999 $5,000 - $9,999 $10,000 - $24,999 $25,000 - $49,999 $50,000 - $99,999 $100,000 - $249,999 $250,000 and above
Level Lewis and Clark Society Laura Ingalls Wilder Society Thomas Hart Benton Society Samuel Clemens Society Charles A. Lindbergh Society Omar Bradley Society JC Penney Society Harry S. Truman Society
Recognition The greatest benefit of membership in the The Truman Club is the satisfaction of knowing that your collective financial support facilitates the transformation of Masonic tenets into reality. However, the Masonic Home also wishes to thank our donors with additional benefits of membership for both their annual and cumulative donations. Each September, the Masonic Home hosts the Truman Club Dinner to recognize our members while raising funds to benefit the Home‘s programs. This annual event is an excellent opportunity for the Home to honor those donors who have joined or moved up within the Truman Club by presenting their Truman Bust, Society Membership pins and/or other donor gifts. Members whose cumulative giving reaches $2,500.00 or more are permanently recognized for their contributions on the Truman Club Donor Wall, located at the Masonic Complex in Columbia, Missouri. All brothers, sisters and friends of the Masonic Home are invited to join The Truman Club. For information on joining this unique and most valued group of donors, please contact our Annual Giving Officer at (800) 434-9804.
The Masonic Home of Missouri, in my opinion, is reason enough for the existence of the Masonic Fraternity. Every man who is a member of our Fraternity in Missouri ought to be proud of the fact that he contributes to the welfare of his Brethren, and their children.� -Harry S. Truman Grand Master’s Address 1941
Page 33
A Society of the Masonic Home of Missouri
The MWB John D. Vincil Master Builder Society (The Vincil Society) is a recognition program designed to acknowledge Lodges, Chapters and other organizations for cumulative giving to the Masonic Home of Missouri since January 1, 2014. It is a permanent and public way for the Masonic Home to say “Thank You� for your most appreciated support! Giving Levels - Giving levels are based on an organization's cummulative qualifying donations made to the Masonic Home of Missouri beginning January 1, 2014. The Vincil Society giving levels are as follows: Level
Amount
Bronze
$500 - $4,999
Silver
$5,000 - $9,999
Gold
$10,000 - $24,999
Platinum
$25,000 - $49,999
Diamond
$50,000 and above
Gifts received by August 31st each year will be included for recognition purposes within that year.
Annual Recognition - New Vincil Society members and those who have achieved a new level during the year will be formally notified and recognized. Members will receive a certificate or plaque for display at their organization and permanent recognition on The Vincil Society Donor Wall, located at the Masonic Complex in Columbia, Missouri. Page 34
Joining The Vincil Society - The Masonic Home of Missouri appreciates all of the ways you financially support this great charity! Aside from continuing this support, there is no action required to join the The Vincil Society. Once your organization's cumulative giving has reached a qualifying amount, we will send notification of membership eligibility. Qualifying Gifts - Gifts that will be included in calculating cumulative giving include, but are not limited to, the following: Penny-A-Day, memorial and honorary gifts, paver stone donations, event sponsorships, and any other general contribution. Gifts that do not qualify when calculating the cumulative giving for an organization include: Creating-A-Partnership (CAP) and Partnering to Honor (PTH) donations matched by the Home, Per Capita, event tickets or registration fees, purchase of items, and gifts to other Masonic Charities. Penny-A-Day (PAD) is a Masonic Home of Missouri program, started in 1974, that asks lodge members to “pool their pennies� to support needy brothers, sisters, widows and children. This program is just one of the ways Lodges and Chapters can support the efforts of the Masonic Home and build membership in the The Vincil Society. Penny-A-Day asks you to give a mere penny a day, or $3.65 a year. The funds are collected by the Lodge and a check for the total is mailed to the Masonic Home annually. Spread the Word! Please encourage your Lodge, Chapter or other organization to participate in the The Vincil Society and help spread the word on how your support of the Masonic Home can help assist our Brothers, Sisters, widows and deserving children across the state. To learn more about the The Vincil Society and MWB John D. Vincil himself, please visit our website at www.mohome.org or contact our Annual Giving Officer at (800) 434-9804.
Page 35
A Society of the Masonic Home of Missouri
Your planned gift to the Masonic Home of Missouri will have meaning and impact for generations to come. Legacy giving does not require a large income or vast estate. Legacy giving only requires a thoughtful intention to make a difference by identifying the Masonic Home of Missouri in your will or estate plan. About Our Legacy Society Those who remember the Masonic Home of Missouri through a will, trust, beneficiary designation or other planned gift are invited to join the Masonic Home of Missouri’s Legacy Society. Too often, these gifts are unrecognized because we are unaware of these special gifts until the donor has passed away. At these times, proper appreciation cannot be expressed and questions regarding the specific purpose of the gift may remain unanswered. The Legacy Society provides a way to recognize and thank donors during their lifetime(s), and ensure that your wishes are properly documented. Involvement in The Legacy Society gives you the opportunity to enjoy the company of others who, like yourself, care about leaving a legacy to benefit your Missouri Masonic family and thousands of children who find themselves in need. You may always choose to remain anonymous in your philanthropy. However, participation in The Legacy Society can be an inspirational experience, and may encourage others to look toward the future and how they too may have an enduring impact on the causes about which they are most passionate. Benefits of Legacy Giving Legacy giving offers us a way to make a difference, far beyond the measure of one lifetime. Page 36
Benefits of joining The Legacy Society include: • A relationship with the Masonic Home of Missouri and other donors during your lifetime. • Assistance in wording your legacy gift to ensure your wishes are carried out. • Satisfaction in knowing your legacy will make a difference. • Special recognition in newsletters and annual reports, unless anonymity is desired. • Recognition on our Legacy Society Tree located at the Masonic Complex. • Some planned gifts can reduce your tax burden during your lifetime, such as gifts of securities and real estate. Types of Planned Giving There are many planned giving vehicles that quaify for membership in The Legacy Society, including: • Stocks and Securities • Real Estate • Bequest in a Will or Living Trust • Gifts of Life Insurance • Charitable Gift Annuities • Charitable Lead Trusts • Charitable Remainder Trusts • Beneficiary Designation of Individual Retirement Accounts (IRA, 401K, 403B) Please consider joining this elite group of generous individuals by remembering the Home with a planned gift. If you have already included the Masonic Home of Missouri in your will or other planned gift, we encourage you to let us know so that we may honor you as a member of The Legacy Society. Legacy Society members share a dedication to the Masonic Home of Missouri – but every act of giving is personal and unique. Contact our Major Gifts Officer at (800) 434-9804 to discuss your preferences. Thank you for the trust you place in the Masonic Home of Missouri.
Page 37
Square & Compass Courtyard The Masonic Home of Missouri’s Square & Compass Courtyard is a unique area located at the Masonic Complex in Columbia, where you, your Masonic Lodge or your Eastern Star Chapter can show your support by having a granite paver stone engraved. When you make a donation to the Masonic Home, your high-quality granite stone will be personalized with laser engraving and become your permanent legacy at the Masonic Complex. Benches within the courtyard can also be engraved. If you wish to have a stone or bench engraved for yourself, your lodge or chapter, or in honor or memory of a loved one, please contact our Annual Giving Officer at (800) 434-9804.
Make Your Impression Today!
Annual Charity Golf Tournament The Masonic Home of Missouri hosts an annual charity golf tournament each spring. This popular event fills up quickly and all proceeds from the tournament help support our Creating-A-Partnership (CAP) Program and our Partnering to Honor Program. Each year we look for teams, volunteers and sponsors for the event and items for our silent auction. If you or your Lodge, Chapter or business would be interested in a team or sponsorship opportunity, please contact our Annual Giving Officer at (800) 434-9804.
Page 38
Contact Information Masonic Home of Missouri 6033 Masonic Drive, Suite A Columbia, MO 65202 (573) 814-4663 (800) 434-9804 Toll Free (573) 814-4660 Fax
Web Presence & Social Media www.mohome.org
https://www.facebook.com/ MasonicHomeofMissouri?ref=hl https://twitter.com/MasonicHomeofMO http://mohome.org/Blog.html https://instagram.com/masonichomeofmo/
Page 39