A grant-making charity dedicated to supporting people in need
Freemasonry Cares Initiative
Freemasonry Cares is the joint communications initiative of the central Masonic Charities (The Freemasons' Grand Charity, Masonic Samaritan Fund, Royal Masonic Trust for Girls and Boys and Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution) to raise awareness of the help available to Freemasons and their dependents and to make accessing it easier.
The four Charities are regularly told that there are individuals who would benefit from their support but for a multitude of reasons are not receiving it. These include a lack of awareness of the existence of the Charities, poor understanding of the full range of support available or not knowing how to access this support.
Freemasonry Cares is trying to address these problems through the delivery of a simplified message, the establishment of a centralised point of contact (a freephone, website and email address) and the development of a more co-ordinated approach to publicising support.
Rather than expect a potential applicant to remember and understand that there are four Charities offering many different grants, the message focuses on themes. Individuals are asked to think "do you have a Masonic connection and "do you have a financial, healthcare or family need?" If the answer to both is "yes" then contact Freemasonry Cares.
Working closely with Provinces across England and Wales, Freemasonry Cares is now being rolled out nationally. It is hoped that through the promotion of the initiative over time all Freemasons and their dependents will know that they can turn to the Masonic Charities in their time of need.
