U. S. National Charter

History

Little Brothers – Friends of the Elderly (LBFE) began as Little Brothers of the Poor in 1959 when Michael Salmon was sent to Chicago to begin the “les petits frères” mission in the United States. Armand Marquiset, a French nobleman, founded “les petits frères des Pauvres” (the Little Brothers of the Poor) in 1946 in the aftermath of World War II. He began by visiting and delivering hot meals with flowers to the elderly poor in Paris who were left without the support of family. His vision of “igniting little fires of love” has spread around the globe, and LBFE is part of the International Federation of “les petits frères des Pauvres” – a fraternity of independent organizations in different countries committed to serving the elderly in the spirit of “flowers before bread”. In the U.S., LBFE has developed into a network of the National Organization and new expansion chapters and established independent affiliate chapters.

Values

The fundamental most cherished value of Little Brothers – Friends of the Elderly, reflected in the first actions of Armand Marquiset, is the inherent worth of each individual as unique and irreplaceable and worthy of dignity, regardless of his or her origin, physical, psychological or social state, or, current circumstance.

The motto flowers before bread expresses our core belief that sharing love and respect and bringing beauty into the lives of the elderly is as essential as meeting their physical needs. We honor all individuals by meeting the basic needs of the human spirit: to serve others, to love and to be loved, to belong, and to enjoy life.

Mission (in the United States)

Little Brothers – Friends of the Elderly (LBFE) is a national network of non-profit, volunteer-based organizations committed to relieving isolation and loneliness among the elderly. We offer to people of good will the opportunity to join the elderly in friendship and celebration of life.

Actions

Little Brothers – Friends of the Elderly engages in the following actions to carry out our Mission:

• Seeks out the Elderly who do not have the support of family and friends and build relationships based on mutual respect and open communication – these become our “Old Friends”.
• Makes a long term commitment to accompany our “Old Friends”.
• Recognizes and responds to the needs of each Old Friend and dedicates to provide love, understanding, compassion, and service without strings.
• Brings together volunteers, donors and staff as a community to make an enduring commitment to serve our Old Friends and each other, as we would serve our friends and family – supporting the body, mind, and spirit.
• Creates opportunities for people of all generations and backgrounds to discover, express, develop, and experience their individuality; to share joy and hope; and to celebrate the pleasures of life.
• Provides for and advocates on behalf of Old Friends to obtain and/or maintain the services they need to retain their dignity and independence.
• Works cooperatively with other organizations to meet the needs of Old Friends.

Operating Principles

Little Brothers – Friends of the Elderly has defined the following Operating Principles to guide the working relationships of the staff and volunteers who carry out the LBFE actions:

• Unity – working together throughout the U.S. network in support of each other’s work.
• Communication – seeking, listening, understanding, and directly responding to – in a responsible and respectful manner – the thoughts and ideas of all stakeholders in the LBFE organization.
• Stewardship – assuring responsible and creative use of the human and material resources placed in our hands by our donors, volunteers, staff, and Old Friends.
• Effectiveness – planning and managing our work with clear objectives, high standards, and specific measurements for out accomplishments.
• Continuous Improvement – providing ongoing evaluation of the quality of our work and the impact of our results.
• Leadership Development – fostering leadership by encouraging and empowering volunteers and staff to identify, cultivate, and realize their potential.
• Collaboration – meeting our Old Friends’ needs in cooperation with other service providers, volunteers, and staff, who also share a relationship with the elderly.