Charitable Activities

Having a charitable spirit is at the heart of what it means to be a Mason. Members of the The Valley of The Merrimack support, and the Brothers participate in, a wide variety of charitable endeavors — financially and by volunteer service.

Hospitaler’s Fund. The oldest charity in the Valley, the Hospitaler’s fund is used to help Brothers in need and their families and to make funeral remembrances for deceased Brothers. Our annual delivery of flowers to elderly members and widows is supported by this fund.

Anchor of Hope Diaper Bank is a Haverhill-based organization that provides free diapers to families in need through local agencies and organizations. Members of the Valley make gifts of disposable diapers at our Reunions which are distributed by Anchor of Hope and its partner agencies.

Blood Banks. The Valley supports blood banks by providing venues and volunteer workers to assist the professional staff from the American Red Cross.

Members of the Valley and their family members are also loyal and frequent blood donors.

Habitat for Humanity. The Valley is an organizer and provider of volunteers who build homes for needy families in the Haverhill - Lawrence area.

The Blue Envelope Appeal is the Scottish Rite’s NMJ’s jurisdiction-wide
fundraising appeal. Money raised through the Blue Envelope Appeal supports:

Almoner's Fund. The Supreme Council Almoner’s Fund provides assistance to Masons and their families who are in distressed circumstances. It is a rapid response service that is mobilized in the event of a natural catastrophe.

Dyslexia Learning Centers. Since 2004, The Boston North Children’s Dyslexia Center in Lowell has provided on-site tutoring to hundreds of children with dyslexia in grades 1-12 at no cost to families. It is a non-profit organization supported by the Scottish Rite and community donations, local fund-raising initiatives, and grants. It is part of a network of 47 learning centers nationally. The Boston North Center offers certification courses to educators who desire to become experts in the delivery of literacy instruction rooted in the science of reading.

Members of the Valley also volunteer their time to assist the professional staff in operating the Center.

Scottish Rite Masonic Museum & Library. Established in Lexington, Mass., in 1975 the Scottish Rite Masonic Museum & Library “tells the story of Freemasonry and fraternalism in the context of American history. Unique in the nation, the Museum aims to be the ‘historical society’ of American Freemasonry by collecting, preserving, interpreting and celebrating the history of fraternalism.”

Leon M. Abbott Scholarship Fund provides scholarships to children and grandchildren of Scottish Rite Masons. Click here for more information.

Several members of the Valley are Fellows of The Benjamin Franklin Society, a group of Masons who are deeply involved with volunteer service to non profit, church, and civic organizations.