Welcome to the Prince Hall Shriners Foundation Website
On
behalf of the Prince Hall Shriners Foundation (PHSF) Board of Directors and
staff, "Welcome!" The PHSF is proud that it will be able to
financially assist the Prince Hall Shriners' (PHS) three community-based
initiatives: National Diabetes Initiative, Shriners as Mentors,
Student Aid. We are particularly gratified to learn of PHS'
10-year collaboration with the American Diabetes Association, which is PHS'
National Diabetes Initiative,
and how the Foundation can play a part in helping to fund research in
finding a cure for diabetes. As of this writing, nearly 24
million Americans have diabetes while 57 million have pre-diabetes. As
a Prince Hall Shriner, these statistics are of particular importance, since
African-Americans are almost twice as likely to have diabetes (Type II) as
members of the majority community. Yale School of Public Health found
that if systems remain unchanged, by 2025 the number of people living with
diabetes will double to more than 50 million--equivalent to the population
of nearly 27 states. Every Prince Hall Shriner Temple will be invited
to participate in a series of fundraising efforts. Monies raised will
be awarded by the Foundation in the form of grants to address the increased
incidence of diabetes in the PH Shriners' membership as well as communities
in which PH Shriners serve through educational and awareness programs.
The
Foundation will address the needs of African-American youth through a series
of Prince Hall Shriners led Shriners as Mentors Programs. The programs
will provide “at-risk” and “high risk” African-American male youth with a
forum to improve educational deficiencies. Likewise, through the
Prince Hall Shriners led Student Aid program, the Foundation will address
the needs of low-income students who have achieved academic success in high
school and require financial assistance through scholarships and opportunity
grants for college and/or trade school. The timeless slogan "A Mind is
a Terrible Thing to Waste" is never more important today as millions of
African-American male youth are caught up in a downward spiraling cycle of
hopelessness - with a high percentage leading to incarceration or worst.
We
need every Prince Hall Shriner's help in raising funds to support these
initiatives. I am personally asking for your commitment and support.
Thank you.
Sincerely,
Oliver Washington, Jr.
Oliver Washington, Jr.
President, Prince Hall Shriners Foundation