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Grand Lodge Permanent Fund

Did you know Grand Lodge has an invested Permanent Fund? Did you know that a large part of its earnings is put into the annual budget to reduce our assessments? Did you know that Grand Lodge has a program to recognize larger donations to the Permanent Fund? Well, we do. It is all in the By-Laws.

The fund was started in 1989 with a seed donation of $250,000. Through donations and investment growth it now has a market value of about $5.2 million. For 2023 $170,000 is being transferred into operations, or about 3.5% of assets. The rest of the annual expected return is retained to cover inflation and seek some amount of real growth. This reduces our annual assessment by $13. The investments are held by Charles Schwab and managed by the Grand Lodge Trustees in accordance with fiduciary principles and consistent with New Jersey’s Uniform Prudent Management of Institutional Funds Act (UPMIFA).

The Grand Secretary maintains an honor roll of members and others who have donated $1,000 in a lump sum or through a regular payment program and awards a pin and certificate to recognize those supporters when that threshold is reached. While donations to Grand Lodge are not deductible on IRS 1040 Schedule A, they are much appreciated and will, over time, increase our ability to continue to hold down assessment rates despite diminishing membership.

If you or your lodge is interested in donating to the Permanent Fund, whether in an amount to get on the honor roll or in smaller amounts, you can send a check to the Grand Lodge office, or hand it to your DDGM or any member of the elected line. Just mark the check as being for the Permanent Fund, which will assure it is put into the investment portfolio. If you wish to set up a regular donation program, contact the Grand Secretary or the office staff. Periodic payments of at least $100 a year over ten years are allowed to qualify.

All Secretaries/Assistant Secretaries, Treasurers/Assistant Treasurers, and DDGMs are invited to attend the following MSTA meetings:

• Saturday, January 11, 2025, via Zoom @ 9AM

• Saturday, May 17, 2025, in-person at the Grand Lodge Library @ 9AM

This free of charge, prestigious educational program, is open to all Master Masons in good standing in our Grand Jurisdiction and will cover a wide variety of educational material that will give the seeker a solid foundation and the appropriate tools to pursue his own path of enlightenment.

W.B. Joseph Kahn Needs a Kidney! Can you help?

"I need a donated kidney so that I can lead a normal life without being hooked up to a PD Dialysis machine for 8-9 hours a day, every day until a kidney comes my way through the 5-8 year long wait list. Being able to resume my volunteer activities, working, and most importantly, having the energy to be an vital part of my family' and community. I want to continue to growing old, with my wife and family. I hope to watch my wife become even more successful in her business, as well as participating in the successes of my kids and grand kids."

Read Joe's Story at the National Kidney Registry!

"You can also support me and other patients in need of a transplant by being screened to become a kidney donor with the NKR. The process is easy to complete and potential donors have access to the NKR’s nationwide donor support network."

Start the Donor Screening Process