Formerly known as North Houston Frontiers Club, the Greater Houston Frontiers Club, Inc. (GHFC) is a non-profit, 501(c) (3), service organization, dedicated to providing educational and monetary assistance to talented, deserving high school seniors in the greater Houston’s Harris County. The Greater Houston Frontiers Club’s membership is composed of a diverse group of men and women volunteers, no paid staff, who are determined to transforms the lives of the local high school students. With the help from individuals, foundation, grantors, and corporations, we have grown into one of the oldest, and most effective international service organizations with chapters throughout the world.
The Greater Houston Frontiers Club is just one of several chapters of the Frontiers International, Inc. originally called Frontiers of America. The Club was founded in Columbus, Ohio, on November 10, 1936 by Nimrod B. Allen, a former Executive Director of the Akron YMCA and a well-known leader in the African community. The primary purpose of the organization was to provide an outlet and opportunity for African American males, to collectively give service to their communities through a civic, service leadership organization that did not discriminate against them, as was custom of other organizations at that time.
On December 24, 1938, the name was changed to The Frontiers International and was also incorporated in Ohio. In the early days, Frontiers International was very instrumental in setting a platform for local politicians to speak to the African-American community. The club did not endorse candidates, but welcomed them to speak to the group. Contrary to the foundation on which the organization was founded, after hearing Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., the Frontiers International Club began to based its mission and values on the outstanding philosophy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s concept of service. He believed that a person’s worth should not be measured by his or her color, culture, or class but rather by his or her commitment to making a better life for all. King said, “We must work increasingly to uplift this nation that we love to a higher destiny, to a higher plateau, to a more noble expression of humanness.” As he once said, “Everybody can be great, because everybody can serve.’’ The Frontiers International also began to open its membership to both men and women interested in service, establishing ‘Service to the Community’ as the overall theme of the Frontiers.
Members are called ‘Yoke Fellows’ yok’-fel-o (sunzugos, “yoked together”): “which is derived from the oxen bearing the burden of work through the yoke it wears. To accomplish more together than alone.” Our purpose is quite simple, to foster a relationship with the community in which one lives is the plot of ground given to till and to develop.
More than seveny-nine years later, men and women of color are providing community service through this organization, in more than thirty local clubs around the country. The clubs are divided into nine regions throughout the country. Each district elects a director, who services as the interface between the district clubs and the Frontiers Executive Board.
The annual convention, held in July, provides an opportunity for Yokefellows (as we are known) to reunite and exchange information, while serving as the primary Frontiers business meeting. The kinds of service each chapter provides to their communities are varied. Some clubs focus most of their attention on mentoring of youth in their cities through Adopt A School. Some work with groups who feed the hungry and clothe those moving from welfare to work. Many clubs emphasize the Martin Luther King Holiday through annual luncheons. The raising of funds for and giving of scholarships to students is a major activity for many clubs.
Founded almost 30 years ago, the Greater Houston Frontiers Club started off by providing scholarships to minority students from the north part of Houston and now it has grown to awarding over $1 Million dollars to deserving college bound high school seniors from Houston’s Harris County. The success of the Scholarship Program is due to the generous contributions and participation of corporate sponsors, organizations, individuals, school counselors and the members of Greater Houston Frontiers Club.
We continue to be active in service to our community through various events and organizations: The Annual Dr Martin Luther King Jr Memorial Schoarship Breakfast, ‘Toys for Kids’ with Congresswomen Sheila Jackson-Lee’s office, ‘Wreaths Across America’ Houston, TX, ‘Turkey on Every Table’, and Greater Houston Partnership, Houston First Community Partner, World Youth Foundation, and of course the Junior Frontiers Youth Group.
