The Masonic Charity Committee
What is Charity?
A non-profit charitable organization or charity is an association whose essential goals are generosity and social prosperity (for example instructive, strict, or different exercises serving the general population intrigue or basic great).
The lawful meaning of a charity (and of a charitable community) fluctuates among nations and in different regions within a country. The guideline, the assessment treatment, and how charity law influences beneficent associations likewise differ. Beneficent associations may not utilize any of its assets to benefit singular people or elements.
Masons as a charity committee:
The world of masons exists to make the world a better place. Masons are always raising funds and solving common people problems without making a fuss about it. The Masonic Charity Committee comprises of 3 Master Masons who are chosen by the Worshipful Master. Most lodges have constrained assets in their charity support. The Charity supports originate from cash that is raised from gifts and pledge drives.
The Charity Committee assists with raising money and other assets for altruistic causes. They come in and help when there are insufficient assets to cover beneficent causes that the Lodges are working for. The Charity Committee will help with raising support, money and awareness among different people. Here are the obligations of the Masonic Charity Committee:
Obligations of the Masonic Charity Committee
- They explore the areas which can need their help.
- They take vital activities identified as charity exercises in accordance with the local laws of the Lodge.
- They make their reports known to different individuals from the lodge on issues like solicitations for gifts.
The way the Masonic Charity Committee work contrasts from Lodge to Lodge. In certain Lodges, charity subsidizes originate from a unique record committed for beneficent purposes while in different lodges, charity reserves are dispensed from the general assets.
The Masonic Charity Committee must guarantee that their tasks are as per the standing rules of the Lodge. Individuals must watch out for guidelines like most extreme charity add up to be dispensed, registration positions and so forth.
Here are a few instances of Bylaw passages relating to the Masonic Charity Committee.
Bylaws of the Masonic Charity Committee:
- The Masonic Charity Committee can pay for altruistic reasons for individuals, and their families gave the sum don't surpass $xxxxxx for singular cases.
- On the off chance that the measure of cash required or mentioned for the magnanimous reason surpasses $xxxxxx, the Masonic Charity Committee must allude the issue to the Lodge.
- All charity finances scattered from lodge subsidizes should as a composed cheque. The cheque will be composed and made payable to the organization that is for the charity.
These Masonic Charity Committee rules are applicable in practically all lodges:
- Charity demands: All charity demands must be brought before the Masonic Charity Committee with the goal that they can sit on the issue and think about it before allowing the dispensing of assets. Just in uncommon cases should reserves be dispensed when charity reserves are mentioned for.
- Composed solicitations: For a composed solicitation, mentioning individuals must record the name, telephone number and address of the expected beneficiary and they should express the measure of assets proposed and the purposes behind mentioning charity help.
- Reaching proposed beneficiaries: The Masonic Charity Committee must contact proposed beneficiaries and get some information about their conditions and their needs, so the Committee can report back to the Brotherhood.
- Appraisal: The Masonic Charity Committee at that point surveys the brethren that need help.
- Equalization of lodge assets: Before cash is dispensed for charity, lodge brethren must be educated regarding the sum staying in the General Funds of the lodge alongside the parity of the Charity account and different records. It is basic that Brothers realize the Lodges funds before settling on how magnanimous causes ought to continue.
- Cheques: All charity choices must be as a look at that is made to the beneficent reason. Money ought not be given to help in a magnanimous reason because it is kind of a disrespect for the people receiving the charity.
Why the Masonic Charity Committee Should utilize cheques?
More reflection time: A cheques-just framework enables the Masonic Charity Committee to contemplate on the charity demand before carrying it to the consideration of the brethren for endorsement.
Paper trail: A cheques-only framework make an obvious paper trail that can be effectively checked and followed. The cheques framework makes balanced governance inside the association. Any money related issue that emerges can be effectively settled by checking the books.
Each mason should think about what the cheque book contains before casting a ballot and affirming the movement. The Auditing Committee must do a yearly review of the books, and the Budget committee probably finished the yearly spending plan before individuals vote on cash issues.
Along these lines, the measure of cash in the treasury will be known, and the measure of cash put in a safe spot for charity purposes in the spending will be known. The review and the financial backing must be given to all individuals, so they can see the real circumstance of the accounts of the lodge before casting a ballot.
This should fill in as a manual for your lodge and help the exercises of the Masonic Charity Committee. You can cheque the local laws of your Lodge and the local laws of your Grand Lodge for more data about the Masonic Charity Committee.
Utilize the above Masonic Charity Committee data as a guide. Every Grand Lodge presents various varieties of the above mentioned.
If all else fails as to address committee obligations, read both your present lodge By-Laws just as your Grand Lodge By-Laws (a present duplicate of which ought to be in your lodge library), before rolling out any improvements to your lodge By-Laws.