Each week, the ENF recognizes CIPerstars who have gone above and beyond in their service to the Elks National Foundation. These CIPerstars are recognized for their outstanding contributions to the ENF and the Elks community.
Senior Programs Associate
Programs Associate
Programs Coordinator
4/30/2025 Lewis County, TN Lodge No: 2883
uses its Gratitude Grant for two projects: Operation Thankful Hearts and Fostering Kids Hearts. Operation Thankful Hearts aims to assemble and distribute 100 food staple baskets to widows and families of deceased veterans, alleviating their financial struggles and food insecurity. Fostering Kids Hearts is a summer initiative that hosts literacy-themed events for foster children and their families, providing books and essential home-care items to help ease their daily burdens. Both projects are designed to strengthen community ties and support specific populations in need, with collaboration from local organizations for outreach.
4/30/2025 Frostburg, MD Lodge No: 470
uses its Beacon Grant to provide summer lunches to students in Allegany County for approximately nine weeks from June to August, addressing food insecurity in the area. The initiative, revived after being paused due to COVID-19, is a collaboration with the United Way, local churches, and Allegany County Public Schools to distribute meals to children in need.
4/30/2025 Abingdon, MD Lodge No: 2354
uses its Spotlight Grant to provide monthly meals at a local emergency homeless shelter. Lodge members shop for the ingredients, prepare and serve the food, and clean up. Scheduling monthly meals allows more Lodge members to get involved, strengthening the relationship between the Lodge and the shelter.
The Elks National Foundation allocated nearly $16 million this year to fund the Community Investments Program. Lodges meet local needs through grants that offer Elks opportunities to serve their community in ways that will raise the Lodge's profile, energize the membership, encourage former members to return to the fold, and gain the notice of people who want to be part of an organization that's doing great things. To learn more about the Community Investments Program, please visit elks.org/CIP. If you would like to speak to someone in the CIP office, we can be reached at 773-755-4730.