Months after flooding, Elks Lodge Grant brings $3,500 in food assistance to Globe families

The Globe Elks Lodge received a $3,500 grant from the National Elks Club to assist local flood victims. Rather than distributing the funds directly, the lodge is partnering with the Salvation Army, which has already identified affected families in the area. 

The Salvation Army received a check from the Elks last week, which will allow qualifying flood victims to use approximately $200 per family toward food from the Salvation Army Food Bank, helping roughly 15 to 16 families.

The lodge noted that Elks National has been actively supporting the region since the flooding, with other lodges also pitching in. The Yuma lodge, for example, donated five-gallon buckets of cleaning supplies about three months ago. The Globe lodge itself sustained flood damage, including a regraded parking lot and creek-side damage, and received help from Elks National to address those repairs as well.

From left: Bob Austin, Linda Merlin, Bonnie Stidman, Mariano Gonzalez, Yevette Angulo, Diana Howes and Lois Brantley  

Looking ahead, lodge members emphasized the importance of growing their membership. They noted that qualifying lodges can access up to $22,500 annually through Elks National funding programs, which support the poor, sick, elderly, veterans and others in need — with all raised funds staying in the local Globe-Miami community and surrounding areas stretching to Superior, Safford, San Carlos and Tonto Basin.