Fraternal Order of Eagles Facts
Who We Are
The Fraternal Order of Eagles is an international non-profit organization uniting fraternally in the spirit of liberty, truth, justice, and equality, to make human life more desirable by lessening its ills and promoting peace, prosperity, gladness and hope.
Our History
The F.O.E. was founded in February, 1898 by six theatre owners gathered in a Seattle shipyard to discuss a musician's strike. After addressing the matter, they agreed to "bury the hatchet" and form "The Order of Good Things." As numbers grew, members selected the Bald Eagle as the official emblem and changed the name to "The Fraternal Order of Eagles." The women's auxiliary traces its roots to 1927.
Our Membership
F.O.E. membership exceeds 1.1 million, with more than 1,700 local aeries (male groups) in the U.S. and Canada. Women's auxiliaries total more than 1,500, with more than 335,000 members. Members are recruited by other members and must be sponsored by two members before the membership process begins.
Our Motto
People Helping People
Major Accomplishments
- Founded Mother's Day
- Served as driving force in founding Social Security Program
- Helped end job discrimination based on age with the "Jobs After 40" Program
- Distributed Ten Commandments monoliths and fought to keep the Commandments in public places
Donations
F.O.E. donates more than $100 million a year to local communities, fundraisers, charities and more. As part of its philosophy, the F.O.E. gives back 100 percent of monies raised in the form of grants.
Fundraisers are conducted for eight major charities, including kidney, heart, diabetes, cancer and spinal cord injury funds, a children's fund, memorial foundation and the Golden Eagle Fund.
Noteworthy Members
- Theodore R. Roosevelt, former U.S. president
- Warren G. Harding, former U.S. president
- Franklin D. Roosevelt, former U.S. president
- Harry S. Truman, former U.S. president
- John F. Kennedy, former U.S. president
- Jimmy Carter, former U.S. president
- Ronald Reagan, former U.S. president
- Bob Hope, comedian, performer
- Max Baer, boxer/heavyweight champion
- Gordie Howe, Hockey Hall of Fame
- William Allen Egan, Governor, Alaska
- Tony Stewart, NASCAR driver
- Sam Hornish, IRL and NASCAR driver
- Billy Ray Cyrus, musical performer
- Tony Orlando, musical performer
Women's Auxiliary
- Bess Truman, wife of former U.S. president
- Eleanor Roosevelt, wife of former U.S. president
- Virginia Graham, radio and TV personality
- Susan Wagner, wife of New York Mayor Robert Wagner