Most fraternal benefit societies were formed more than 100 years ago to assist immigrants in America.  At the turn of the century, new citizens found fraternals one of the few means of social interaction in a strange country.
    Members came together based on ethnic, religious, vocational and other common bonds.
    Whatever their foundation, fraternals allowed individuals with similar backgrounds to solve common problems and to provide financial support, especially the collection of burial funds when members died.
    As support programs encouraging assimilation diminished, financially sound insurance products were developed along with new fraternal programs to tap member volunteerism.

    Today, the fraternal benefit system is a charitable force of nearly 200 individual nonprofit benefit societies touching millions of lives throughout the United States and Canada.
    Societies extensive youth and young adult programs provide leadership training; athletic, social, cultural and educational opportunities; scholarships; and other activities to develop the next generation of fraternalists. 
    Fraternal benefit societies contribute to disaster relief efforts, provide welfare services, work with the disabled, and contribute both in volunteer labor and financially to organizations such as habitat for Humanity and the Washington D.C. based Jubilee Ministries.