At the June 1949 Grottoes of North America meeting, the delegates adopted a resolution to establish a 501(c) (3) national charitable program, which was named the Humanitarian Foundation. Its first project was "Aid for the Cerebral Palsy Child". Since its inception over $1,000,000 has been contributed to UCP Research.

In1953 the Enchanted Lantern was adopted as their emblem to represent each contribution of $50 or more, although contributions of any size are gratefully accepted.  In 1969, The Humanitarian Foundation trustees expanded the scope of the program to Dental Care for Children with Special Needs in conjunction with the Illinois Masonic Medical Center in Chicago. In 1973, The Extension Program was developed to treat children locally to remove the burden of travel and housing for the parent and child.  The Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center and Children's Medical Center in Dallas, Texas are two of our National Treatment Centers.

Today the Humanitarian Foundation,not only remembers the child with Cerebral Palsy with their annual contribution to research, but adds to it the unique partnership with qualified dentists throughout the United States and Canada.

Since 1985 the Humanitarian Foundation has paid out $6,734,373 for dentistry alone. Growth in the program and in donations has allowed the majority of those funds, $4,394,729, to be paid out in just the last ten years.  With your help this program will continue to flourish helping even more children with special needs get the dental care that they desperately need.