<< BACK TO EXHIBITS

Fraternal Benefit Societies

Portuguese fraternal benefit societies practiced charity, extended protection, and cooperated with other organizations or individuals to promote and advance the material, social, and moral welfare of their members. Upon a member's death, they paid the member's beneficiaries the benefits that they were entitled.

Click on an article below.

I.D.E.S. Fraternal Benefit Society At a meeting on July 7, 1889, the I.D.E.S. was born. One proposal adopted that day was that each member would contribute one dollar to the widow of each deceased member. This became the basis for the family protection programs of the nascent I.D.E.S.

Luso-American Financial Fraternal Benefit Society Successor of the Benevolent Society of California founded in 1868 in San Francisco, and of the União Portuguesa Continental founded in 1917 in Oakland.

S.E.S. Fraternal Benefit Society Sociedade do Espírito Santo was founded in Santa Clara on December 16, 1895.

S.P.R.S.I. Fraternal Benefit Society Original mandate was to care for church altars and render aid in time of need to sister members.

U.P.E.C. Fraternal Benefit Society Thirty Portuguese immigrants founded the society in San Leandro in 1880.

U.P.P.E.C. Fraternal Benefit Society A society devoted to social and charitable works.

---

<< BACK TO EXHIBITS