Across Missouri, Lodges and Chapters are witnessing firsthand the challenges families face in their local school districts — and they are stepping up to help. Through the Masonic Home of Missouri’s Creating-A-Partnership (CAP) Program, members are addressing real community needs, working directly with schools and local organizations to provide meaningful support where it is needed most.
One of the most pressing issues in many communities is school meal debt and food insecurity among children. While often unseen, these challenges can affect a child’s ability to learn, focus, and feel confident in the classroom. The CAP Program offers Lodges a direct way to respond, partnering with schools to help alleviate these burdens.
Across the state, Lodges are responding with compassion, using CAP to reduce or eliminate outstanding school meal balances. In doing so, they lift a quiet burden from schools and families — ensuring every child can sit down to lunch without worry and return to class ready to learn.
Some Lodges are taking this work even further, turning small acts of service into lasting community impact. Barry Daylight Lodge No. 17, Lincoln Lodge No. 138, and Jackson Lodge No. 82 are prime examples — each actively supporting local schools and demonstrating how partnership, dedication, and the CAP Program can make a real difference in the lives of children and families.
Barry Daylight Lodge No. 17
For Right Worshipful Brother Budd Gilfillen, service has always been a defining part of his life. A dual member of Brotherhood Lodge No. 269 and Barry Daylight Lodge No. 17, he currently serves as Secretary of Barry Daylight and as Grand Pursuivant for the Grand Lodge of Missouri.
His commitment to service was shaped early, beginning with his interest in Freemasonry at nineteen and carried through a career in the United States Army as a Chemical Officer, including assignments in Washington, D.C.
Brother Budd had long been interested in joining the Craft, but between military service and later work on the railroad, the timing was never right. It wasn’t until more recently that he was finally able to join — and fully step into a lifelong calling of service.
Barry Daylight Lodge No. 17 has been a longtime participant in the Masonic Home’s Creating-A-Partnership (CAP) Program, using it to strengthen outreach efforts in their local community. Over the years, the Lodge has supported a variety of initiatives, with a consistent focus on food insecurity through Buddy Backpack programs, summer meal support, and school lunch debt assistance.
For the past three years, the Lodge has partnered with Antioch Middle School, along with other schools in their area. The focus on school meal debt is especially meaningful to Brother Budd.
“The reason we picked to help pay off school lunch debt is, I remember as a kid going to school and not always having lunch or money to buy one.”
He continues:
“It leads to food insecurity, and it can also affect a child’s self-esteem.”
Budd explains that the impact often extends beyond the lunchroom.
“Other kids notice, and it can lead to teasing or embarrassment. That affects a child’s ability to learn and feel confident in school,” Budd said.
To support these efforts, the Lodge hosts raffles and partners with the Ararat Shrine on fundraising initiatives. In March, the Lodge raised $300 for this project, and with the Masonic Home’s 2:1 match through the CAP Program, their total impact grew to $900 for the school and community.
For Barry Daylight Lodge, participation in CAP is about using every opportunity available to serve the community more effectively.
“I like to make sure any organization I’m part of is taking advantage of opportunities to do what we’re supposed to do — to make the world a better place,” Budd said.
For Brother Budd, that mission is deeply personal, shaped by a lifetime of service.
“I’m a service-oriented person. I spent my career serving my country, and this gives me another way to give back to my community and help people,” Budd said.
When asked what he would tell other Lodges about the CAP Program, his message is clear:
“It’s easy to do. A lot of Lodges are already doing good work, but they don’t realize how much this program can help amplify it,” Budd said. “It’s a great program and a great opportunity for Lodges to strengthen their community. Just reach out and ask—someone is always willing to help explain it and get you started.”
Through their continued commitment, Barry Daylight Lodge No. 17 demonstrates how purpose, partnership, and service can turn simple efforts into meaningful change for children and families in need.
Lincoln Lodge No. 138
For members of Lincoln Lodge No. 138, the opportunity to make a difference through the CAP Program became even more meaningful following the recent consolidation with Oregon Lodge No. 139. With a shared desire to expand their outreach, members looked for new ways to serve not only their existing community, but also Holt County — where Oregon Lodge had long been rooted.
One of those members is Right Worshipful Brother William Richards, a 50-Year Mason who currently serves as Marshal for Lincoln Lodge. A dedicated leader, William previously served as Worshipful Master, Secretary, and Treasurer at Oregon Lodge before the merge. His connection to Freemasonry began at an early age, inspired by the example set by his father and a close family friend.
“Knowing that they were men of good moral standing, and supporting the organization,” William said. “I felt like I could support it also.”
As Lincoln Lodge explored ways to expand their impact, they turned to a familiar approach — supporting local schools. The Lodge had previously participated in Buddy Backpack programs, but wanted to better understand the current needs within the South Holt R-I School District. When William met with the superintendent, a new and pressing need became clear: addressing school meal debt.
He learned that nearly one-third of students in the district qualified for free or reduced lunch, but many families were still struggling with overdue balances. In response, the Lodge chose to focus their efforts on paying down lunch debt for students with balances exceeding $50 — providing immediate relief for families and the school alike.
With support from the CAP Program, the Lodge’s $500 contribution grew to a total donation of $1,500 to the school.
Members of Lincoln Lodge No. 138 presented their Creating-A-Partnership check to South Holt School to help pay off unpaid school meal balances.
For Brother William and several members, this marked their first experience using the Masonic Home’s Creating-A-Partnership (CAP) Program. While Oregon Lodge had not participated in the program in awhile, the program offered a new way to amplify their impact and extend their reach within the community.
“I would definitely recommend that they [other Lodges and Chapters] try and tap into the CAP Program. It’s one way to really increase or multiply what the Lodge does locally,” William said.
Through this effort, Lincoln Lodge No. 138 is not only continuing a legacy of service, but also discovering new ways to support their community and ensure local children have one less thing to worry about each day.
Jackson Lodge No. 82
For Right Worshipful Brother Ed Street, service to others has been a defining part of his Masonic journey for more than 30 years. A member of both Jackson Lodge No. 82 and Brookfield Lodge No. 86 — and previously a Mason under the Grand Lodge of Florida — Ed currently serves as District Deputy Grand Lecturer for the Grand Lodge of Missouri and as Worshipful Master of Jackson Lodge.
When Brother Ed stepped into his role as Master, he knew he wanted the Lodge to become more involved in the community through the Masonic Home’s Creating-A-Partnership (CAP) Program. What began as a simple outreach to the Linn County R-I School District quickly revealed a much deeper need.
Initially, Ed reached out to the superintendent, expecting to offer help with school supplies. Instead, he was met with a different and urgent concern — student meal debt.
“He (the superintendent) said, ‘I’ve got a world of unpaid lunches.’ I asked what he meant, and he explained that the students on assistance are taken care of. This is about families where mom and dad are working,” Ed said. “Either they can’t pay or just don’t have enough to go around. He said most of them he knows, and they’re doing their best, but it’s still not enough.”
Hearing this, Brother Ed brought the need back to his Lodge, and the members didn’t hesitate to act. For the past three years, Jackson Lodge has been committed to helping reduce school meal debt in their community. To fund their efforts, they’ve organized garage sales and other grassroots fundraisers — small events that come together to make a big impact.
In March, Jackson Lodge raised $500 for this project, which — through the Masonic Home’s CAP Program matching funds — grew to a total donation of $1,500 to the school.
Their efforts have not gone unnoticed. The Lodge has been recognized in school newsletters and occasionally featured in the local newspaper, strengthening their connection with the community. For Ed, though, the most important outcome has been the relationship built with the school and its leadership—one he hopes will continue long after his term as Master.
“I told him the first day of the year that I’d like to keep this going every year, whether I’m Master or not,” Ed said.
Ed’s experience with the CAP Program has left a lasting impression, not only on the community but also on the Lodge itself.
“I would tell them it’s an awful good deal,” Brother Ed said.
Through their continued efforts, Jackson Lodge No. 82 is demonstrating how simple acts of service — when paired with dedication and partnership — can create lasting change for families and children in need.
Impact that Lasts
Across Missouri, Lodges and Chapters are showing what it looks like when service is put into action close to home. From school meal debt to food insecurity and other local needs, the Creating-A-Partnership (CAP) Program continues to provide a simple but powerful way for Masons and Eastern Star members to strengthen their communities and make a lasting difference in the lives of children and families.
Each of these efforts — whether large or small — adds up to something greater: a network of care built on compassion, partnership, and commitment to service.
If your Lodge or Chapter is looking for a meaningful way to support your local community, the CAP Program is ready to help you get started. We encourage you to connect with the Masonic Home of Missouri to learn how your Lodge or Chapter can take part, identify local needs, and begin making an impact in your area.
Together, we can continue turning local compassion into statewide change — one partnership at a time.
