Founding Forward

In 1967, then Great Incohonee Edward Keyser, Sr., led a national project to build the non-denominational Faith of Our Fathers chapel on the current grounds of Founding Forward’s Valley Forge campus, a national civic education organization based in Valley Forge and Philadelphia. To date, the Improved Order of Red Men (IORM) and Degree of Pocahontas (DOP) still support the maintenance and upkeep of this chapel.

In 2021, IORM and DOP selected Founding Forward as one of its two National Charity recipients due to their longstanding partnership and mutual beliefs in protecting our country’s experiment in self-governance and our freedoms. Freedom is a precept under which the IORM & DOP work.

Fundraising for Founding Forward as a National Charity recipient began on January 1, 2022. The funds since 2022 have covered the cost of replacing the chapel roof and assisted with additional chapel maintenance. IORM and DOP are actively raising funds to replace the main chapel flooring.

Founding Forward is a national nonprofit charity that informs and engages citizens through transformational educational experiences grounded in American history. To accomplish its mission, Founding Forward fosters immersive civic education experiences for students, teachers, and citizens through in-person programs, historic resources, speaker programs, and other unique learning opportunities.

Founding Forward recognizes IORM and DOP at their Citizen’s Circle donor level for raising over $15,000 annually.

To learn more about Founding Forward, please visit: https://foundingforward.org/.