Fraternalism
Fraternalism was founded centuries ago upon the
principle of brotherhood and a belief that each individual has a
responsibility for his fellow men and women.
This spirit was expressed in the semi-religious societies of
Ancient Greece during the early days of the Roman Empire, and in the
Guilds of England and after the Reformation, in the British Friendly
Societies. These ideas were carried across the Atlantic to germinate in
America and became the pattern for the New World’s fraternal benefit
societies.
Several societies can trace their roots back before
the Civil War. The recognized
origin of the American fraternal benefit system is October 27, 1868.
On that date, John Jordan Upchurch, a railroad master mechanic,
organized the first lodge of a fraternal benefit society in Meadville,
Pennsylvania. He was anxious
to provide working men and women greater privileges and opportunities than
were available in the usual trade unions of that day.
Upchurch gathered 14 men, workers in local railroad
shops, and formed the Ancient Order of United Workmen. Upchurch believed that although some existing organizations
provided marvelous funerals for dead members, they didn’t provide enough
help – if any – for the surviving spouses of the departed members.
At the time, relatively few companies sold life insurance.
Even when insurance was available, the exorbitant cost removed it
from the reach of most Americans.
Fraternals maintain some of the world’s largest
private systems of educational support, providing millions of dollars
annually for students and the institutions they attend.
Fraternal benefit societies maintain and support
orphanages, homes for the aged, churches and other humanitarian, service
and social institutions and agencies.
They provide financial and other support for the indigent, the
dying and others needing a helping hand.
They give material and financial support to the stricken and
homeless who are victims of floods, tornadoes, fires and other disasters.
In one year’s time, fraternal benefit society
members will meet “people needs” millions of times, and they’ll
volunteer millions of hours to do so.
The fraternal benefit societies, which comprise the National
Fraternal Congress of America (NFCA), spend more than $240 million each
year on non-insurance, fraternal benefits.
These benefits meet needs in local communities in a variety of
different ways, from launching a volunteer fire department in Kansas or
emergency ambulance service in Pennsylvania to conducting a dinner in Ohio
to help a cancer victim overcome burdensome medical bills.
That’s a strong investment in our present – and our future.
Members of fraternal benefit societies have an
important voice in its operations. In
a very real sense, members own fraternals and operate them through
elected boards of directors. That’s
the fraternal way of doing business:
working as organizations of members who both provide and receive
benefits, all shaped around member needs.
Fraternal benefit societies are a unique mix of
business and volunteerism. Although
fraternals have evolved to meet the changing needs of their members, the
mission of fraternal benefit societies remains unwavering:
To help their members help themselves and others through insurance
and benevolent activities.
Fraternals maintain some of the world’s largest
private systems of educational support, providing millions of dollars
annually for students and the institutions they attend.
Fraternal benefit societies maintain and support
orphanages, homes for the aged, churched and other humanitarian, service
and social institutions and agencies.
They provide financial and other support for the indigent, the
dying and others needing a helping hand.
They give material and financial support to the stricken and
homeless who are victims of floods, tornadoes, fires and other disasters.
In one year’s time, fraternal benefit society
members will meet “people needs” millions of times, and they’ll
volunteer millions of hours to do so.
The fraternal benefit societies, which comprise the National
Fraternal Congress of America (NFCA), spend more than $240 million each
year on non-insurance, fraternal benefits.
These benefits meet needs in local communities in a variety of
different ways, from launching a volunteer fire department in Kansas or
emergency ambulance service in Pennsylvania to conducting a dinner in Ohio
to help a cancer victim overcome burdensome medical bills.
That’s a strong investment in our present – and our future.
Members of fraternal benefit societies have an
important voice in its operations. In
a very real sense, members own fraternals and operate them through
elected boards of directors. That’s
the fraternal way of doing business:
working as organizations of members who both provide and receive
benefits, all shaped around member needs.
Fraternal benefit societies are a unique mix of
business and volunteerism. Although
fraternals have evolved to meet the changing needs of their members, the
mission of fraternal benefit societies remains unwavering:
To help their members help themselves and others through insurance
and benevolent activities.
