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.

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

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.

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.


Our Membership

F.O.E. membership exceeds 850,000, with more than 1,400 local Aeries in the U.S. and Canada. Women’s auxiliaries total more than 1,300, with more than 250,000 members. Members are recruited by other members and must be sponsored by two members before the membership process begins.

Women's Auxilery

  • 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

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