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"If you have much, give of your wealth;
if you have little, give of your heart."
- Arab proverb
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The world's greatest philanthropy evolved from the belief that happiness must be shared. Each Noble of the Mystic Shrine realizes that he hasn't any real right to play unless he also has contributed to the happiness of others. From that philosophy came the idea for our Shriners Hospitals. This concept of sharing provided the techniques that have contributed to worldwide knowledge of how best to care for the orthopedically challenged or badly burned child. Many of the specialists in the most exclusive institutions received their early training in a Shrine Hospital. Today there are 19 Shriners Orthopedic Hospitals in 16 states, Mexico, and the Canadian province of Quebec, plus four Burns Institutes in Cincinnati, Galveston, Boston, and Sacramento (which is part of the Northern California Orthopedic Hospital). The Joint Board of Directors and Trustees approved a current operating budget in excess of $485,000,000 for the 22 Shriners Hospitals for Children. That works out to be just over $1.55 million every 24 hours for 2001. Past Potentate Terry L. DeVassie of Aladdin Temple is a member of the Imperial Board of Trustees of Shriners Hospitals for Children. Maintaining and expanding these philanthropies through the years has been made possible by $5.00 a year assessments on each Shriner's dues, income from investments, permanent contributing memberships, voluntary subscriber memberships, wills and bequests (from Shriner's and non-Shriner's), gifts and contributions (from Shriners and non-Shriners), and contributions from promotional activities of the 191 Shrine Temples. Shriners Hospitals depend on the generosity of many individuals, Shriners and non-Shriners alike, for the funding needed to continue operating this extraordinary philanthropy. Shriners Hospitals for Children is a fully qualified 501(C)3 charitable organization under IRS regulations. Donations are tax-deductible. Charitable contributions work hard at Shriners Hospitals. Less than 4 percent of Shriners Hospitals' annual operating budget is used for administrative and fund-raising costs, and Shriners Hospitals are ranked at the very top among "charities that watch their pennies best." Smart Money Magazine ranked Shriners Hospitals number 1 in Healthcare Charities. Read about it at http://www.smartmoney.com/theagenda/index.cfm?story=december02 |
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"The service we render to others is really the rent we
pay for our room on this earth. It is obvious that man
is himself a traveler; that the purpose of this world is
not 'to have and to hold' but 'to give and serve.'
There can be no other meaning."
-- Sir Wilfred T. Grenfell
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Shriners Hospitals for Children is proud to be a member of America's Charities. For more information about this program, click on the above Logo, or go to the Imperial Shrine web page at http://www.shrinershq.org/WhatsNewArch/Archives00/workplace1-00.html |
