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Charities Charity is a pillar of Freemasonry,  not only to the members of Esoterika Lodge, but to the Fraternity as whole. Below are a number of links and information to worthy charities that individuals, upon their volition, may wish to contribute to. Esoterika Lodge is in no way affiliated with these charities, however, its members have recommended them as well worth your consideration. Zachary D. Dinwiddie Educational Trust, "Help for the Widow's Son." http://www.esoterikalodge.net/charities_dinwiddie.htm The Zachary D. Dinwiddie Educational Trust was established by the Founding Members of Esoterika Lodge to help offset the costs of post secondary educational expenses for Zachary D. Dinwiddie, the only child of our esteemed and departed Brother Robert E. Dinwiddie Jr.  Bro. Dinwiddie passed away very unexpectedly November 28th, 2005, at the age of 37. While many of the trustees of the The Zachary D. Dinwiddie Educational Trust are Brothers of Esoterkia, it is an independent charity and is in no way affiliated or managed by Esoterika Lodge No. 316. American Red Cross http://www.redcross.org/ The American Red Cross (chartered as the American National Red Cross) is a humanitarian organization that provides emergency assistance, disaster relief and education inside the United States, as part of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies . Today, in addition to domestic disaster relief, the American Red Cross offers compassionate services in five other areas: community services that help the needy; support and comfort for military members and their families; the collection, processing and distribution of lifesaving blood and blood products; educational programs that promote health and safety; and international relief and development programs. Governed by volunteers and supported by community donations, the American Red Cross is a nationwide network of more than 800 chapters and Blood Services regions dedicated to saving lives and helping people prevent, prepare for and respond to emergencies. More than a million Red Cross volunteers and 30,000 employees annually mobilize relief to families affected by more than 67,000 disasters, train almost 12 million people in lifesaving skills and exchange more than a million emergency messages for U.S. military service personnel and their families. The Red Cross is also the largest supplier of blood and blood products to more than 3,000 hospitals across the nation and also assists victims of international disasters and conflicts at locations worldwide. Mercy Corps http://www.mercycorps.org/ Mercy Corps is a non-profit organization engaged in humanitarian aid and development activities. Mercy Corps works amid disasters, conflicts, chronic poverty and instability to unleash the potential of people who can win against impossible odds. Since 1979, Mercy Corps has provided $1 billion in assistance to people in 82 nations. Supported by headquarters offices in North America, Europe and Asia, the agency's unified global programs employ 3,200 staff worldwide and reach nearly 10 million people in more than 40 countries. Over the last five years, more than 90 percent of the agency's resources have been allocated directly to programs that help people in need. In its 25 year history, Mercy Corps has learned that communities recovering from war or social upheaval must be the agents of their own transformation for change to endure. It's only when communities set their own agendas, raise their own resources and implement programs themselves, that their first successes result in the renewed hope, confidence and skills to continue development.