With the start of a new year, thoughts inevitably turn to tax season, which is just a few short months away.  During this time of financial reflection, the Grand Lodge of Ohio provides several opportunities for members to make tax-deductable donations for the common good.  Donations to any of the charities explained below can be mailed to The Grand Lodge of Ohio, P.O. Box 629, Worthington, OH 43085.

The Charitable Foundation of the Grand Lodge is a 501(c)3 corporation that receives tax-deductable donations that are used to make financial grants to Ohioans in need.  The foundation began under the leadership of Most Worshipful Brother Thomas Zahler.

Since 1978, Ohio Freemasons have supported the athletes at the Ohio Special Olympic Summer Games through their donations.  These donations are made to the Charitable Foundation with a “Special Olympics” notation in the check memo.  The Charitable Foundation pays the monies collected each year to the Ohio Special Olympics, which uses them to subsidize the cost that would otherwise be incurred by each athlete.

The Grand Lodge Scholarship Foundation was begun in 1964 and is also a 501(c)3 corporation and uses the tax deductable donations that it receives to fund two college scholarships in each of the 25 Masonic Districts.  Donations to support these scholarships should be made out to the Grand Lodge Scholarship Foundation.

The Scofield Fund, created in support of the Masonic Model Student Assistance Program, is the most recent charitable endeavor of the Grand Lodge.  The fund is named after Most Worshipful Brother Royal Scofield, whose bequest was used to start the fund.  The Masonic Model programs trains teams of teachers and school personnel to identify and intervene with at-risk students in their schools.  The Grand Lodge of Ohio has funded this program out of the general treasury since 1995, and it is hoped that as the Scofield Fund grows, it will be able to take over that funding.