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
3/17/2026 Everett, WA Lodge No: 479
used its Spotlight Grant in combination with a full $5,000 Gratitude Grant to distribute food to four local schools and an after-school homework club. The food ensures that students have something to eat when they arrive at school or at homework club, so they can focus on learning. The boost from the Gratitude Grant enabled the Lodge to provide enough food for students to take some home over the weekends.
3/17/2026 Fredericksburg, VA Lodge No: 875
used its Beacon Grant to support a school for students with disabilities. The Lodge provided Chromebooks to support classroom instruction and built a greenhouse for the school’s new garden club. The Lodge installed pavers around the greenhouse and raised garden beds to ensure wheelchair accessibility. Students in the club get a hands-on experience with the food pyramid by growing their own vegetables.
3/17/2026 Green Cove Springs, FL Lodge No: 1892
used its Spotlight Grant to host a Community Baby Shower for 45 families, including 20 mothers of newborns. The Lodge worked with Head Start and women’s health services on the project and provided essential items for babies and young families. The Lodge also brought in an expert on childhood nutrition from the University of Florida to talk with the families and a librarian to discuss the importance of reading at an early age.
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.