In recent years, the cost of essentials like housing and food reached new, more unaffordable heights. The increased challenges facing communities are reflected in the CIP, which has responded with more investment year over year. Now in its 20th year, the CIP’s budget is 5,000% greater than in 2005-06, a sign of both the program’s necessity and Lodges’ increased ability to meet changing and rising needs.
Housing remains a primary need, and housing costs remain a challenge for many. The Los Angeles and San Francisco areas are two of the top 10 most expensive housing markets in the world; thankfully, both areas are also home to Elks Lodges that use CIP grants to help their neighbors experiencing housing insecurity.
Gardena, Calif., Lodge No. 1919 uses its Beacon Grant to support those living in the area known as Skid Row, which covers about 50 blocks in downtown Los Angeles and where more than 3,000 people experiencing homelessness live.
On Thanksgiving Day, Lodge members and other volunteers pack backpacks with food, winter clothes and rain gear; stuff additional hygiene items and clothing into a fleet of delivery cars; and distribute them to people living on Skid Row.
The project has been funded annually with a Beacon Grant for three years, but the Lodge has been completing it on its own for 13 years. With the funding from the CIP, last year’s project served about 650 people, including 100 youth and 200 veterans.
Tish McCauley, the Lodge Grants Coordinator, says that while the Lodge provides much-needed supplies and joy, Elks and other volunteers “get so much more than we give.”
“It provides perspective for those of us who have never known want,” McCauley says. “We were all humbled by the genuine appreciation from those less fortunate and touched by the sense of community on Skid Row.”
As housing has become less affordable, more people experience housing insecurity; according to the National Alliance to End Homelessness, the United States is experiencing an unprecedented rise in homelessness. Homelessness increased by 18% in 2024 over numbers that were already a record high in 2023. Homelessness is also increasing among more vulnerable populations, such as people with disabilities, children and older adults.
About 8,000 people are unhoused in San Francisco on any given night. South San Francisco, Calif., Lodge No. 2091 uses all its grants to meet some of the various needs this population faces.
With its Gratitude Grant, the Lodge works with Catholic Charities to provide survival kits consisting of clothing, toiletries and food to the unhoused population. With its Beacon Grant, the Lodge supports the Colma Veterans Village, an affordable housing community for veterans who have experienced homelessness. Last year, the Lodge purchased and installed a greenhouse at the facility, providing residents with an activity whose fruits are fresh produce.
The Lodge also completes a Hunger and Essential Needs Assistance project with its Spotlight Grant. In partnership with St. Vincent de Paul, Elks cook and serve weekly meals for six weeks at the partner’s facility, which is one of the largest and most extensive homeless shelters in the city.
“Members expressed a deep sense of pride in the hands-on involvement they had in addressing such a crucial local need,” says Grants Coordinator Teri Lee. “Many found the project to be inspiring, seeing firsthand how their efforts directly impacted families and individuals facing food insecurity.”
Suburban and rural areas are not excluded from increased housing costs. Jackson, Wyoming, has become one of the most expensive towns in the country: The median income in Teton County is $108,000, while the average price for a single-family home is more than $7 million. For those that make less than the median income, the struggle is even more acute.
Jackson, Wyo., Lodge No. 1713 uses its grants to address some of the resulting hardships. With its Beacon Grant, the Lodge provides winter clothing to community partners including churches, schools and senior centers.
“In a community where the average rent for a one-bedroom apartment is over $3,000 a month, families have to choose between housing, groceries, or clothes, and many times they forgo warm clothing,” says Grants Coordinator Rich Ochs. “Winters in Wyoming are harsh, and even more so when you can't afford a decent coat.”
It is not just desirable urban areas and picturesque mountain towns that are feeling the squeeze of higher rents and home prices. Housing costs are rising across the country, affecting families and individuals that may have never been at risk of housing insecurity previously.
CIP grants can be used to alleviate some of the challenges caused by the increase in this essential expense. Other needed supplies, like food, clothing, and personal care items can be purchased with grant funds, relieving the worries that those experiencing housing insecurity feel when they must decide between paying their rent and providing for their and their family’s other needs. Every grant that helps meet an essential need is in part a response to struggles in other areas of life, and a step toward building a more stable, stronger community.
CIP grant applications are open until January 21, 2026. For more information on the grants we offer, check out our Grant Toolkits. The CIP can be reached with any questions at 773/755-4730 or LodgeGrants@elks.org.