Jacksonville, FL 221

The 2025 application will be available on August 1, 2024. Applicants will be judged on scholarship, leadership, and financial need. Eligibility: Current high school seniors, or the equivalent, who are citizens of the United States are eligible to apply. Applicants do not need to be related to a member of the Elks. High school graduates are not eligible to apply. Applicants must be citizens of the United States on the date their applications are submitted; permanent legal resident status does not qualify.

Legacy Awards are $4,000 scholarships available to children and grandchildren of Elks members. Eligibility requirements are outlined below. The 2024 application closed on February 5, 2024 at 11:59 a.m. PST. Read below for eligibility information and answers to Frequently Asked Questions. Who is eligible? How do I apply? Who is Eligible? For the 2024 contest, any child or grandchild (or step-child, step-grandchild, or legal ward) of a living Elk who joined the Order on or before April 1, 2021, or a charter member of a Lodge that was instituted on or after April 1, 2021, is eligible to apply. The Elk must also be a paid-up member through March 31, 2024. Great-grandchildren are not eligible. The applicant must be a high school senior. The applicant must apply online only. The 2024 Legacy Awards application deadline was February 5, 2024, 11:59 a.m. Pacific Time. If the applicant's parent and grandparent are both Elk members, the applicant must apply through the parent's Elks Lodge. We have waived the standardized test requirement for the 2024 Legacy contest. You do not need to submit ACT and/or SAT scores. Students may apply for more than one ENF scholarship; however, they may win only one. In cases where the student wins more than one, we will award the scholarship with the greater value. Students can accept local and state scholarships, which are separate from the awards at the national level. Legacy Awards may only be applied to accredited US American schools, colleges or universities. (Note: Applicants from Panama, Puerto Rico and the Philippines may apply Legacy Awards toward schools, colleges or universities in their respective homes.) If you are selected as a 2024 Legacy Awards recipient, you will be required to perform three instances of service with an Elks Lodge during the four years you are receiving the scholarship. Click here for more information about serving with the Elks.

Our Mission The mission of the Florida State Elks Association C. Valentine Bates Memorial HOPE Scholarship is to provide financial support for the educational needs of Florida high school seniors without which they would not be able to achieve their educational goals. The scholarship targets students who have a 2.30 - 3.59 unweighted GPA. These students have demonstrated leadership through participation in school activities, community service, and citizenship. Consideration is given to those students who have shouldered extra responsibility such as working throughout their high school careers to help provide support of siblings or family. Please direct all questions about the C. Valentine Bates HOPE Scholarship to Joseph D. "Joe" Pepe, PDD, at jdpepe@aol.com.

- Enriching Lives of Kids

The Elks Hoop Shoot is a national free-throw contest for boys and girls ages 8-13. The competition is the largest, non-commercial, co-educational sports program in America, and is sponsored by the Benevolent and Protective Order of the Elks. More than 3 million kids ages 8 to 13 participate each year. Winners advance through local, district, state, regional and national levels. The finals for the national Title will be held in Chicago, IL. The program building character while promoting integrity, hard work, quality family time and good sportsmanship. Please contact Lodge Hoop Shoot Chairman Brent Reedy for more information. Age-group is determined by the contestant's age as of April 1st.

Every night, as many as 40,000 veterans are living on the streets. Each with a different story, they all shared a common pledge: to support and defend this country. Their service is done. Now, it’s the Elks’ turn to serve. In partnership with the Department of Veterans Affairs, the Elks National Veterans Service Commission has pledged to help end veteran homelessness, and ensure that every veteran has the safe, stable home they deserve. Welcome Home Kits Most veterans move into their homes with nothing. Elks can help veterans establish their homes by building Welcome Home Kits. Generally, this kit would include some small furniture, kitchenware, and cleaning supplies. Items can be new or used, donated or purchased. NEW: Starting April 1, the ENVSC will reimburse up to $400 per kit and up to $600 for each kit that includes a bed (dependent on corresponding receipts). Watch how Cocoa Beach, Fla., Lodge No. 2387 makes a big impact on veterans through the Welcome Home Kit program. Whether your Lodge wants to provide a few kits a year or a few kits a week, we’ve got you covered. Here are a few program guidelines to keep in mind. A kit must include a variety of items. It may not include just one of two items. Kits are intended exclusively for veterans exiting homelessness and moving into new homes. Gift cards may not comprise more than $25 of any kit. Food may not comprise more than $50 of any kit. We recommend that beds do not comprise more than $500 of any kit. Ready to get started? Find a partner to connect your Lodge with veterans in need. Speak with the facility and the veteran about their needs. Get the community involved! Consider holding a supply drive to collect commonly needed items. Deliver the kits to the veteran or your project! Many Lodges take photos with the veterans when they deliver the kits. (Check out our Instagram page for examples!) Complete the form and upload your receipts online. You may include multiple kits on one form. We’ll send you a reimbursement check, in accordance with the receipts provided. Stay in contact with the veterans! Having an Elk as an advocate and friend can further help these veterans to thrive in their new home. Consider the Adopt-a-Veteran program.

- A possitive place for kids

 - John Wayne narrated video

 -  An organization we support

 - An online store for BPOE merchandise

 - The origins of the BPOE

 - Elks tell their story