The CF was incorporated under the laws of the State of CA in November 1951, and made its first charitable donation in 1953.

 The CF was established as a result of two goals. The first was our members' desire to sponsor a charitable cause. The second was an awareness of the underfunded and largely ignored clinic at the University of California, San Francisco, Hospital, which is recognized as one of the most prestigious teaching hospitals in the United States. It was then called the Cleft Palate Clinic and treated exclusively cleft palate/hare lip in primarily very young children. This second most common birth defect has a profound emotional and physical impact on the child, the parents, family and friends. The Native Sons recognized the worthiness of this cause and adopted the clinic as its exclusive charity.

 From a modest beginning in 1953, the efforts of the Charitable Foundation have made that small clinic, now called the Center for Craniofacial Anomalies Clinic, into one so respected that it recently hosted the national gathering of such facilities. The name change reflects the change of focus from the limited cleft palate/hare lip treatments to the current treatment of a full spectrum of birth defects of the face and skull. The clinic has further expanded into the research of causes and prevention of these tragic conditions that literally prevent a child from facing the world.

 The Chancellor of the university has declared this work would not have been possible without the uninterrupted support of the Native Sons of the Golden West over all these years. We have given $1,667,600 to the clinic.

 The Charitable Foundation's administrative overhead costs are six-tenths of one percent. The National Charitable Institute guidelines allow such costs to be up to forty percent. The foundation's low costs reflect the commitment and volunteerism of its members. The members of the Board of Directors serve on a volunteer basis,
receiving no salary or expenses.

 The success of our program has enabled us to expand our support to include the Craniofacial Anomalies Clinic at Saint John's Hospital, Santa Monica, California, in 1969, with total donations to them of $686,500; and to Sutter Memorial Hospital, Sacramento, California, in 1969, with total donations to them of $96,000.

 All Charitable Foundation funds donated to these hospitals specify that they shall be used for treatment of the children, with no overhead costs deducted, and that no child will be refused treatment for any reason.

 In 1985, responding to requests for a permanent repository of larger donations and bequests, a memorial fund in perpetuity was established for gifts of $500 or more. Only the income from this fund is donated to the hospitals. In twelve years this fund has grown to over $700.000. Donors to the Memorial Fund, either by bequest in a will or living trust, or in memory or honor of someone, have their names inscribed on an honor roll which is kept in the San Francisco main office of the Native Sons of the Golden West.

 We have also been able to make application for funds for equipment to the Frank J. Marini Family Trust managed by the Wells Fargo Bank in San Francisco. Each opportunity to petition the Marini Trust is alternated among the three hospitals. The total amount received from the Marini Trust is $78,900.

 The Board of Directors of the Charitable Foundations feels there is no more worthy cause than to ensure that all children, of whatever race, color or creed, have the opportunity to hold their heads up without shame or embarrassment.

 The Charitable Foundation earnestly solicits your consideration of this most worthy cause when making your testamentary or memorial plans. Your estate planning should include not only the benefit of tax savings, but, ideally, the personal satisfaction of participating in an efficiently administered and admirable cause.

 We hope that this information answers your questions regarding the Charitable Foundation of the Native Sons of the Golden West. For any additional
information, please contact: