Philadelphia Resident Honored for His Volunteer Service
Herbert Snyder honored as first runner-up Fraternalist of the Year by the National Fraternal Congress of America.

10/02/09

OAK BROOK, IL – The National Fraternal Congress of America (NFCA) recognized Herbert J. Snyder—a member of the Supreme Council of the Royal Arcanum, Integrity Council #586, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania—for his outstanding volunteer efforts.  Snyder was recently named first runner-up for the NFCA’s 2009 Fraternalist of the Year award, recognizing the nation’s top volunteers among the almost 10 million members affiliated with NFCA’s member-societies.  He was recognized at the 123rd NFCA Annual Meeting in San Antonio, Texas.

“Herbert Snyder is a shining example of what it means to be a fraternalist,” said NFCA President and CEO Joseph J. Annotti. “We are pleased to honor Herb for selflessly giving his time to serve his community in so many ways.”

Snyder is an active member of Royal Arcanum’s Integrity Council #586, serving in many capacities and on many committees.  At his encouragement, his council’s support of a meal program for the homeless at a local center has expanded.  Snyder also assists the Metropolitan Area Neighborhood Nutrition Alliance (MANNA), a foundation whose “pie in the sky” program prepares and delivers free meals to those afflicted with HIV/AIDS.  He was active in his council’s holiday project to “help the children” at Children’s Hospital, securing, wrapping and delivering gifts to the patients on Christmas Eve.

Snyder volunteers many hours at the Arch Street United Methodist Church of Philadelphia’s homeless program and worked with a local church in Lancaster to create a church ministry for Latino Methodist members.  He directs “Senior Spirit,” a program of hot meals and activities for seniors in the Frankford section of Philadelphia.  For his council’s JOIN HANDS DAY project, he assisted others in fulfilling wish lists for families of the Maternity Care Coalition’s Early Head Start Program.  Held the first Saturday in May, JOIN HANDS DAY is a national day of service that brings together youths and adults to make a difference in their communities through helpful projects.

Snyder volunteers each summer to direct a week of overnight camping for 85 children at Mount Gretna, Penn., handling the programming for children from grades 2 through 6.  He supplements their first experiences in boating, archery, fishing and other outdoor activities with storytelling with a message.

About the Supreme Council of the Royal Arcanum
The Supreme Council of the Royal Arcanum, founded in Boston, Massachusetts, in 1877, on the values of virtue, mercy and charity, is a family fraternal benefit society, general in nature, with councils (chapters) throughout the United States and Dominion of Canadian. The society maintains a progressive portfolio of permanent and term life insurance products and annuities for today’s consumer and furnishes fraternal benefits, including scholarships, educational grants and loans, family events and a quarterly magazine. The Royal Arcanum, through its International Fraternal Service Program and council activities, upholds its distinguished, time-honored tradition of volunteer community service and support of charitable causes internationally. For more information, visit www.royalarcanum.com.

About the NFCA
The 123-year-old NFCA unites 69 not-for-profit fraternal benefit societies operating in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Canada.  The association represents 9.3 million fraternalists in 37,000 local chapters, making it one of America’s largest member-volunteer networks.  Fraternal benefit societies provide their members with leadership, social, educational, spiritual, patriotic, scholarship, financial and volunteer-service opportunities.  Combined, the NFCA’s member-societies maintain more than $353 billion of life insurance-in-force and, in 2008 alone, contributed almost $424 million to charitable and fraternal programs, and volunteered nearly 94 million hours for community-service projects.  These statistics demonstrate the commitment that fraternals make to those in need and exemplify the true meaning of the NFCA signature phrase:  Joining Hands to Touch Lives.