Home
About Us
District Three
Club Projects
Scholarships
Altrusa Int'l Inc.
Members Only

Altrusa International Inc.

About Us

Mamie L. Bass is the founder of Altrusa International, Inc. As of January, 2011, there were 361 clubs with 9,569 members. Clubs are located in Bermuda, Canada, Chile, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, England, Guatemala, India, Ireland, Korea, Mexico, New Zealand, Philippines, Puerto Rico, Russia, Scotland, and throughout the United States.

The Altrusa logo is a trademarked logo. The design has been used since 1949. The outer ring has the name of our organization, Altrusa International, Inc. The second circle has the organization’s motto: “Patriotism, Efficiency, Service”. The center shows the world, which indicates Altrusa’s international scope and interest. The 2009-2011 Biennial logo and theme is “Altrusa-A Great Investment”.

Altrusa International Foundation, Inc., a non-profit foundation, awards grants to local clubs or individuals to help them finance their projects. A Disaster Relief Fund has donated money throughout the world in times of disaster. A special part of the Foundation called Club 21, members, and clubs donate $21 each to join. The “dues” go to support activities of children with HIV/AIDS. Altrusa members, clubs, and friends provide funds for all the Foundation’s donations.

Principals of Altrusa - by Mamie L. Bass 1921

1. Altrusa is a builder of women.
2. Altrusa is an expression of the search for the best in character, in business, and in citizenship.
3. Election to Altrusa is an evidence of confidence which imposes upon the recipient the obligation to strive to be true to the highest standards of life in her personal and business relations.
4. Altrusa, in the very derivation of its name, is committed to the philosophy of unselfishness, the joy of giving rather than getting, and to the search for that happiness which is based upon spiritual worthiness.
5. Altrusa is practical idealism. Its service consists, not in saying great things, but in daily earnest practice of its principles.
6. Altrusa commends to its members an active interest in public affairs, realizing that the State is but the individual writ large.
7. Altrusa develops true leadership, concerned with accomplishment and not with recognition.
8. Membership carries with it no obligation to transact business with other members. It makes no promise of return in any commercial specie. Its rewards are in proportion to the loyalty, unselfishness and character of the member herself.
9. Altrusa expresses good will for all mankind. It emphasizes the food and lets the evil sink into the oblivion it merits.
10. Altrusa is democratic; it knows no class, no favorites, but is founded upon merit alone.
11. Altrusa believes that the way to progress lies not in emphasizing the faults of men and their failure to give proper recognition, at times, to women in business, but rather in arousing women to their responsibilities and their possibilities so that their accomplishments will glaze the trail for greater things.
12. Altrusa believes it is not enough to be good; Altrusans must be good for something. Each member must be doing the piece of work that is hers in a way that puts her in front ranks of accomplishment.

The website for Altrusa International, Inc. is http://www.altrusa.com. You are invited to visit the website and learn current happenings with the organization worldwide.