Masonic Charity: How Freemasons Give Back
Freemasons are one of the largest charitable organizations in the world, contributing billions of dollars annually. Discover how Masonic charity works and who it helps.
When most people think of Freemasonry, they think of secret handshakes and ancient rituals. What they often don't know is that Freemasons are among the most generous charitable organizations in the world, contributing an estimated $2 million every single day — over $700 million per year in the United States alone.
Shriners Hospitals for Children
Perhaps the most visible example of Masonic charity, Shriners Hospitals for Children is a network of 22 medical facilities across North America that provide world-class care to children regardless of their family's ability to pay. Specializing in orthopedic care, burn treatment, spinal cord injuries, and cleft lip and palate repair, Shriners Hospitals have treated over 1.4 million children since their founding in 1922.
The cost of running these hospitals — approximately $900 million per year — is funded entirely by the Shriners and their supporters.
Scottish Rite Learning Centers
The Scottish Rite of Freemasonry operates a network of over 200 Learning Centers across the United States, providing free tutoring to children with dyslexia and other language-based learning disabilities. Staffed by trained therapists, these centers have helped over 250,000 children learn to read since their founding.
Masonic Student Aid
State Grand Lodges across the United States collectively award millions of dollars in scholarships to students each year. The Masonic Foundation of Ontario alone provides over $1 million annually in student bursaries.
Community Support
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At the local level, Masonic lodges are deeply embedded in their communities:
- **Disaster relief**: Masonic lodges frequently mobilize to provide food, shelter, and financial assistance after natural disasters.
- **Blood drives**: Many lodges host regular blood drives in partnership with the Red Cross.
- **Food banks**: Lodges operate food pantries and contribute to local food banks.
- **Youth programs**: DeMolay International, Job's Daughters, and Rainbow Girls provide leadership development for young people.
- **Senior care**: Many Grand Lodges operate retirement homes and assisted living facilities for elderly Masons and their families.
The Masonic Home
Several states maintain Masonic Homes — retirement communities that provide housing, healthcare, and social activities for aging Masons, their wives, and widows. The Masonic Homes of California, for example, is a sprawling campus that provides everything from independent living apartments to full skilled nursing care.
The Principle of Relief
Charity is not an afterthought in Freemasonry — it is one of the three principal tenets of the fraternity, alongside Brotherly Love and Truth. Every Mason takes obligations that include helping a brother in need and contributing to the relief of distress.
The beauty of Masonic charity is its quiet, persistent nature. Most Masonic giving happens without fanfare, without press releases, and without expectation of recognition. As Masons like to say: "We are not a secret society, but a society with secrets — and our greatest secret might be just how much good we do."
By the Numbers
- **$2 million per day** in charitable giving across North America
- **22 Shriners Hospitals** providing free children's healthcare
- **200+ Scottish Rite Learning Centers** for children with dyslexia
- **1.4 million children** treated at Shriners Hospitals
- **$700+ million per year** contributed by American Masons
These numbers make Freemasonry one of the largest charitable organizations in the world — a fact that rarely makes headlines but profoundly impacts millions of lives every year.
