Donations to the Foundation’s principal fund are never spent; only interest and earnings are used, and all of it goes toward the Foundation’s philanthropic work.

Last year, the Foundation disbursed $11.3 million in support of the "Hoop Shoot", scholarships, veterans service, drug awareness, state major projects and other philanthropic programs.

" The "Hoop Shoot" is the largest coeducational sports program in the country. More than three million kids participated in this year’s contest.

The Elks National Foundation annually awards more than $2.1 million in scholarships to a total of 508 students. It also reserves $500,000 for emergency educational grants for children of Elks.

The Elks have pledged not to forget hospitalized veterans, and each year, they visit hundreds of thousands of patients in VA medical centers and veterans hospitals, throwing parties and providing companionship. And they invite patients who can leave the facilities to events at Elks Lodges, on fishing trips and to ball games.

Last year alone, the Elks adopted and befriended 103,000 veterans who were far from home or without family.

The value of the Elks’ contributions to veterans service last year was more than $17.6 million.

The Elks Drug Awareness Program prints and distributes, free of charge, up-to-date information about drugs to schoolchildren, their teachers and their parents. Since the program’s inception in 1985, the Elks have distributed more than 103 million pieces of literature.

In addition to information about drugs, the Elks provide alternatives to drug use by sponsoring activities ranging from Little League to Scouting. More than 2.8 million kids participated in these Elks-sponsored activities last year.

Each State Elks Association has its own major project. These include summer camps for children with disabilities or who are financially disadvantaged; in-home treatment for people with disabilities; children’s hospitals; cancer research; and providing safe, temporary havens for abused families.

In 2,230 communities, men and women of our local Lodges are working to meet local needs, whether that’s funding the food bank, supplying instruments for the high school band, or staffing booths at the county fair.

We believe in helping others, but we also believe in having fun. Often we manage to combine the two. Some of our Lodges feature swimming pools, golf courses, playrooms and ballrooms; most have dining facilities; all offer family entertainment. We enjoy doing the good works we do and the people we do them with--our families and our friends.