Elks National Foundation Blog

by Chelsea Dennis Programs Assistant Last month, Colleen, Maryann and I took a trip to Elmhurst, Ill., Lodge No. 1531 to see the Lodge’s Impact Grant in action. Working with the Elmhurst-Yorkfield Food Pantry and Dollar Tree, the Lodge provides hygiene and cleaning products to families in need. For many families that use food banks to supplement their meals, there is often a need for hygiene and cleaning supplies. While food banks are able to address hunger, very little is allocated for other items. Recognizing this need, the Lodge stepped in to provide supplies for 50 families monthly using the Impact Grant.  As I helped prepare packages, many of the families spoke of how grateful they were to the Elks for providing this service and how receiving the items took pressure off their limited budgets. Prior to seeing the Lodge’s project, I was unaware that this was a need in some communities. Hearing directly from recipients opened my eyes to how small needs are often oversha...

by Do Hyun Kim 2015 MVS Scholar, Harvard College I attended the 2016 Summer Elks Scholar Service Trip in Chicago, and it was one of the most transformative weeks of my life. From start to finish, the trip was filled with plenty of firsts for me: staying at a hostel, exploring Chicago, contributing to a mosaic mural, volunteering at a V.A. hospital, participating in the Chicago Stand-down, going on a cruise, and even taking a taxi.   The trip was very well organized and there never was a dull moment. Meeting the Elks members was also a bigger treat than I could have imagined; it just so happened that one of the members I spoke with was a university professor of engineering, and I have since been in contact with her having wonderful discussions about my interest in bioengineering.   Everywhere we went, we were met with hospitality and gratitude, and I felt proud to be a part of the Elks group. I also developed a greater understanding of what it means to serve; m...