Our History
The Oshkosh Benevolent & Social Club was originally established in 1937 as a chapter of The Junior Chamber International. For well over 75 years, young adults in the Oshkosh area joined together to make significant contributions to their community through fundraising and service. Today, while no longer associated with any state or national fraternal organization, former members of the original group join together with other community-minded citizens to continue the original organization's legacy of supporting positive contribution to the community because service to humanity is the best work of life.
What is the purpose of the OBSC?
The Oshkosh Benevolent & Social Club is a unique charitable 501(c)3 organization with an even more unique purpose. Traditional service groups and non-profit organizations raise money to give to charities or volunteer to help non-profit organizations fulfill their mission.
Our mission is to help people to help other people.
There are numerous worthy organizations within our community addressing specific needs and the volunteers who care deeply about those causes can contribute their time and money directly to them to help the mission. But what of the needs that don't have an organization to champion the cause? What of the projects people would passionately support if only there someone willing to take the lead?
These opportunities are often the kind that projects that are overlooked or underfunded. They can be as simple as adding light fixture to a park so kids can play safely to as complex as illuminating our city's bridge network with colorful lights or building an entire playground for children facing domestic abuse issues at home.
This is where the Oshkosh Benevolent & Social Club comes in. The Affiliates of OBSC gather throughout the year to discuss the opportunities for improvement they see within the greater Oshkosh community. For Affiliates who discover a passion for a community-based project like this and have a group of like-minded people to support them with the task, the OBSC offers the potential to provide structure and support in the form of:
Our mission is to help people to help other people.
There are numerous worthy organizations within our community addressing specific needs and the volunteers who care deeply about those causes can contribute their time and money directly to them to help the mission. But what of the needs that don't have an organization to champion the cause? What of the projects people would passionately support if only there someone willing to take the lead?
These opportunities are often the kind that projects that are overlooked or underfunded. They can be as simple as adding light fixture to a park so kids can play safely to as complex as illuminating our city's bridge network with colorful lights or building an entire playground for children facing domestic abuse issues at home.
This is where the Oshkosh Benevolent & Social Club comes in. The Affiliates of OBSC gather throughout the year to discuss the opportunities for improvement they see within the greater Oshkosh community. For Affiliates who discover a passion for a community-based project like this and have a group of like-minded people to support them with the task, the OBSC offers the potential to provide structure and support in the form of:
- objective project feasibility review;
- mentoring and planning assistance;
- "angel" investment to cover fundraising start-up expenses;
- tax-deductible donation acceptance and accounting;
- an established structural support available at no-cost (bank account, mailing address, website, etc.);
- promotional and volunteer-recruitment assistance;
- and numerous other logistical options to help inexperienced community volunteers see their vision through from concept to execution.
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We foster entrepreneurial community activism.
It is our belief that the best people to make change in the community are the people most passionate about the change, but often those same people lack experience in how to make it happen. By allowing these people to discover first hand the joy of service to humanity and empowering them with the skills to succeed, the Oshkosh Benevolent & Social Club is committed to not only making a positive impact within the community, but building a new generation of volunteers for the future. |
Who are OBSC Affiliates and how does someone become an Affiliate?
Anyone with connections to the Oshkosh area who is civic-minded and has and interest in making a difference in the quality of our community can become an OBSC Affiliate. There are no fees or dues. No membership or volunteer obligations. No age or experience restrictions. The only requirements are to sign up for our mailing list or to follow our Facebook page so you are aware of our gatherings and opportunities to get involved.
How do I get the OBSC involved in an event/project?
The best way to get support for your cause or project is to come to one of our gatherings. There you can meet other Affiliates, see if others share your passion for your project, and gauge the interest. If you feel you have enough support to put on the event, the next step is to present your idea to the OBSC Board for potential support. Once the Board has reviewed and agreed with your proposal, they will work with you to determine the best means to support and guide your project to make it a success.