About The British Charitable Society
What We Do

The minutes of the Society’s first meeting held on September 9th 1816, record that the Society   

‘convened for the purpose of forming a charitable society for the relief of unfortunate British persons who by the dispensations of Providence may be reduced to poverty, or as emigrants, destitute of information, require the aid of such an institution.’

Today, nearly 200 years later the recorded minutes may not be as formal, but continue to reflect a very similar mission. As one of the oldest Charitable foundations in the United States, the Society still serves a community of British people and their descendents who temporarily find themselves in  financial difficulty, often requiring an immediate solution that cannot be met by any other organization.

It has often been noted that poverty’s reach extends to all sections of society and this has never been more evident. Most people who apply to the Society for help have enjoyed a normal lifestyle, which becomes interrupted by illness or accident or some other disruption to family income. Within a very short space of time they find themselves in debt and then in crisis. Applications for help made to the State cannot be processed in time and often the family faces the prospect of eviction or shut off of utilities.

Typically the Society can provide relief in 3 basic categories;

• Emergency Care – the payment of outstanding utility bills or overdue rent on a one-off basis
• Transitional Support – a small monthly stipend to help with expenses during a temporary downturn in income –
  (usually not exceeding 6 months )
• Crisis Transportation – Airfare to the UK for emergencies or permanent resettlement, or to cover car repairs if needed for work

If you would like to apply to the Society for help please visit the Apply for Assistance section of this website.

The Executive Committee of the Society is comprised entirely of volunteers who are in constant contact with each other and meet on the second Tuesday of each month. Because time is given freely, the Society’s overheads are kept to a minimum and rarely exceed 4% of annual turnover.