Orange Charities and Societies

The Orange Order treats charity as an important part of its mandate. Its charitable ventures include:

The Grand Orange Lodge of British America Benefit Fund

Better known as "Orange Insurance" was founded in 1881 and established for the purpose of assisting lodge members, their spouses and independent children in time of need. Due to financial constraints in 1926, control was turned over to the Grand Lodge of Canada. Orange Insurance continues to provide benefits to the Orange Association in Canada.

Lord Enniskillen Memorial Orange Orphan Society

The Society was founded in 1888 to provide financial assistance to the orphans of deceased members of the Orange Order.

Orange Foundation

US lodges provided unemployment insurance, death benefits, and care for the elderly and for widows and orphans. In 1902, the Orange Home was founded at Hatboro, Pennsylvania, and, for almost a hundred years, it provided shelter and support for those in need. The Orange Home continued as a retirement center until 1996, when the Order sold it as a going concern to a large church-related organization. The proceeds from the sale were used to establish a charitable trust, known as the Orange Foundation. This is administered jointly by the Loyal Orange Institution, and the Loyal Orange Ladies Institution. Income from the Foundation is disbursed to a number of qualified charities.

Ladies Orange Benevolent Association

Founded in 1894 to provide women with an opportunity to actively support Orange Principles and the exercise of benevolent activities.

Loyal Orange Orphan Society Of England

The Society was inaugurated in July 1920 under the auspices of the Grand Orange Lodge Of England, as a "War Memorial" to the Orangemen who gave their lives for others. The first patrons being Her Grace the Duchess of Abercorn, and the Rt Hon. Sir Edward Carson, M.P. The Society was established for the purpose of affording support to the children of deceased members of the Loyal Orange Institution of England . However, since the Society obtained charitable status in March 1998 from the charity Commissioners for England & Wales, the Society has endeavoured to help and assist not only children's charities but also other causes.

Orange Home at Indian Head

The home operates under the auspices of The Orange Benevolent Society in the Province of Saskatchewan(Canada) and was founded in 1923 operating as an orphanage for members and non-members children.

McCrea Memorial Trust

The Trust was formed in May 1964 and provides holiday accommodation primarily for members of the Junior Orange Association with outside youth organisations being considered for vacant/unused weeks or weekends.

Scottish Orange Home Fund

Originally the Ladies Association Home Fund, the idea was conceived when a group of Orangewomen returned from a trip to Canada. In 1980 they merged with the male section of the Grand Lodge, became registered as a charity - creating the Scottish Orange Home Fund.

Ulster Federation of Credit Unions

Founded in 1986 and usually hosted in Orange Halls.

Sir George A. Clark Bart Memorial Bursary Fund

The Fund was established in 1992 in memory of a former Grand Master of the Grand Orange Lodge of Ireland to assist people through the award of Bursaries in four categories viz.

Adelaide Hospital Society

The Orange lodges of Dublin and Wicklow are affiliated to the Adelaide Hospital Society. The Republic's last remaining Protestant-run hospital (the Adelaide) has since merged with others into a new hospital in Dublin.

Grand Master's Charity Appeal

£124,000 was raised for Cancer Research Northern Ireland in 2004

As well as this, private lodges routinely collect for charity. In 2005 lodges in Portadown aim to raise money for alcohol and drugs awareness by staging a fun run entitled the "Orange Olympics".

External links

* [http://www.orange-order.co.uk/chronicle/forum/viewforum.php?id=18 Orange Chronicle]