The Order of Quetzalcoatl®, commonly known as the “Q”, is a Masonic invitational body comprised of Shrine Masons who have distinguished themselves in service to their local Shrine Centers and having associated with others for fun and fellowship. Membership is by invitation only. The Order is heavily involved in philanthropy, principally focused on providing transportation funds for Shriners Hospitals for Children including funds for the Mexico City Shriner’s Hospital.
These funds are used to help pay for the transportation of the children and their parents to and from the Shrine hospitals. In addition, members of local Teocallis and Officers of the Supreme Teocalli often visit the hospitals and engage in other fundraising activities to support the hospitals.
The Q Foundation for Kids® was founded by several members of the Order of Quetzalcoatl® to be able to help and assist more children. This group determined they would be able to raise additional money to support children by becoming a 501(c)(3) organization. The Order of Quetzalcoatl® has been assisting and helping children for years through their efforts, now this Foundation has opened the doors to help even more. Today there are Q Foundations for Kids in the United States, Mexico, and Canada.
The Q Foundation for Kids’® purpose is to perpetuate the financial support and expand the funding provided by the Order of Quetzalcoatl® and others to enable and assist children in achieving care through the Shriners Hospitals for Children system, including, but not limited to, the transportation and meal expenses of patients and accompanying guardians of patients, under the care of The Shriners Hospitals for Children.
The Order was founded in Mexico City on March 14, 1945, by Arthur J. Elian. The Order’s name derives from the Aztec god Quetzalcoatl who was said to be the tenet of brotherly love, charity, truth and giving. The Order has Chapter Teocallis located within the United States, Mexico, Canada and South America, truly becoming a philanthropic organization of the Americas.
The Supreme Teocalli of the Order has jurisdiction over all Associations, Teocallis and Members of the Order and serves as the primary governing body of the organization. Associations act as a regional body comprised of Teocallis that help promote the goals of the Order among its members. The Southwest Quetzalcoatl Association, referred to as SWQA, is one of seven associations. The SWQA was originally established as the Tejas Association in 2002 and the name was changed to the Southwest Quetzalcoatl Association in 2009. The SWQA had a brief period of inactivity from 2018 to 2023 and was reestablished and chartered again on October 14, 2023.