1998 Mission Statement of the Pennsylvania Masonic Foundation For Children

The mission of the Pennsylvania Masonic Foundation for Children is the prevention of drug, alcohol, and other abuses by children through education, intervention, and counseling. This mission is carried out through the support of well-established programs of the Pennsylvania Department of Education, the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency, and other existing groups concerned with juvenile addictions.

The Foundation is also committed to the Fraternity and the Communities of Pennsylvania in providing and supporting addiction awareness. This is done through a speaker's network and grassroots community involvement.

NOTE: In 1998 the Foundation formally changed its name from the Pennsylvania Masonic Foundation for the Prevention of Drug and Alcohol Abuse Among Children to the PENNSYLVANIA MASONIC FOUNDATION FOR CHILDREN, to better reflect the broad outreach of programs it initiates and supports.

The Pennsylvania Masonic Foundation for the Prevention of Drug and Alcohol Abuse Among Children

The mission of The Pennsylvania Masonic Foundation for the Prevention of Drug and Alcohol Abuse Among Children is the reduction of drug and alcohol abuse by young people, through education, intervention, and counseling. In 1997, the Foundation carried out this mission by its continued support of the Pennsylvania Department of Education's Student Assistance Program. There are now student assistance teams in place in every high school and junior high school in the Commonwealth. An elementary school curriculum was developed and training of elementary level teams is beginning. Pennsylvania has a successful Student Assistance Program, thanks to Pennsylvania Masons.

In May, the selection committee for the Carl W. Stenberg Scholarship met in Philadelphia and awarded five college scholarships of $1,000 per year for four years. The applicants are students, recommended by their student assistance team, who successfully completed a counseling program and turned their lives around. Thanks to Student Assistance and the help of the Foundation, these young people are now getting the chance at a college education. They must maintain a "C" average and be drug and alcohol free. Nineteen of these scholarships were awarded since 1993.

The Pennsylvania Masonic Foundation for the Prevention of Drug and Alcohol Abuse Among Children continued its support of D.A.R.E. (Drug Abuse Resistance Education). At this facility, Law Enforcement Officers from throughout the Commonwealth, train to teach this program to 5th and 6th grade elementary school students. Since 1994 The Masonic Conference Center-Patton Campus has been designated the D.A.R.E. Training Center of Pennsylvania. Upon graduation each new D.A.R.E. Officer received a supply of 2,000 Cop Training Cards, similar to Baseball and Football Trading Cards. Each card has the Square and Compasses on both the front and back with an acknowledgment that they were supplied compliments of Masons of Pennsylvania.

The Foundation, in cooperation with The Committee on Masonic Education published a list of drug and alcohol speakers in the 1996 Speakers Guide. These speakers are available to all Masonic bodies, civic groups, and community organizations.

The Foundation gave support to the National Masonic Foundation for Children, and such treatment and rehabilitation centers as Aldelphia Village in Western Pennsylvania. The Foundation is a member of the Philadelphia Prevention Partnership and P.R.I.D.E. (Parents Resource Institute for Drug Education). The Foundation helped sponsor the Susquehanna Valley WHO CARES Program.

The Director is a member of the steering committee for Pennsylvania's Against Underage Drinking (PAUD) coalition. The Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board formed this coalition at the direction of the Governor. The coalition is funded by a grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation of the American Medical Association. The incitation to be part of the steering committee of PAUD shows that the Fraternity and the Foundation are becoming recognized leaders statewide in the fight against juvenile addictions.

The Foundation's District Chairmen encouraged lodges to support their local community programs, in drug and alcohol demand reduction efforts.

There is an effort to make the public aware of the resources of the Foundation and the Fraternity. A quarterly newsletter was started in 1997. The result is very positive and the communities are finding out that Masons care.

The Foundation's work could not be possible without your help. Thank you for all you support in the past and ask that you remember us through your Masonic charity contributions.