Get Involved
Become a Supporter
The British Benevolent Society of California provides aid and relief to British Citizens in need. Our support comes from generous donations, legacies and fundraising by members, and our community in California.
Throughout the year, we organize community events around the Bay Area where we offer our members a chance to mingle with other Brits in a social setting. Our numerous community events are British focused and fun! They range from monthly happy hours to theater in and around the Bay Area to our annual Christmas Dinner. The idea behind all of our events is to provide you with the feeling that you are back at home in the UK.
With your help and support we can:
Continue to provide aid and relief to distressed British nationals in dire need of assistance.
Partner with the British Consulates General in San Francisco and Los Angeles to ensure people know where to find us.
Follow the tradition that began in 1858 to help those that need it the most.
Sponsorship
The BBS welcomes sponsors who can contribute a tax deductible amount in alignment to your organization's social responsibility strategy, to help British nationals in need. There are two types of sponsorship:
1) Sponsorship of a specific event:
Download Event PDF for details
2) Sponsorship of specific types of relief:
Download Relief PDF for details
Note not all cases require each of the listed support though they detail the pattern of aid generally provided under the most common circumstances of repatriation, healthcare, pensioner support or victims of crime.
Donate Today
Every week, we receive calls for help from British nationals facing unimaginable hardship, alone, far from home, and often without a safety net.
Some are elderly expats who’ve outlived their savings and now face eviction. Others are young professionals blindsided by a medical diagnosis, or single parents on the brink of losing their homes. Many are battling isolation, trauma, or navigating a crisis no one plans for, from domestic violence and bereavement to sudden unemployment, immigration complications, or the terrifying choice between medical care and shelter.
These aren’t faceless stories. They are our people, your people.
The British Benevolent Society of California provides emergency relief with dignity and discretion. We don’t offer handouts. We offer hope, just enough support, at just the right moment, to help someone breathe again, plan again, live again.
Your tax-deductible donation goes directly to cover urgent needs like rent, repatriation, groceries, medication, or essential legal support. It helps reunite families. It saves lives.
💙 If you've ever known what it's like to feel uncertain, scared, or far from home,
you already understand the power of someone saying: “You are not alone.”
Be that someone. Be the reason they make it through.
Individual Membership
Whether you’ve just arrived or have called California home for decades, becoming a member of the British Benevolent Society connects you with fellow Britons who believe in community and compassion. Enjoy access to cultural events, volunteer opportunities, and the chance to directly support those facing hardship.
Become a Member
Young Professional Membership
Start your professional journey with purpose. As a Young Professional member, you'll connect with like-minded British expats, attend meaningful networking events, and play a role in charitable work that matters.
(Ages 18–25)
Business Membership
Your company’s support of the British Benevolent Society is more than goodwill; it’s a partnership in social responsibility. Engage with our vibrant network of British professionals, show your commitment to community values, and make a tangible impact in the lives of British nationals in need.
Affiliate Organisation
Affiliating with the British Benevolent Society signals more than community pride, it’s a statement of purpose. As a recognized supporter, your organization joins a legacy of care that spans over 165 years, helping deliver urgent aid to British citizens across the Western United States. Together, we demonstrate the power of unity, compassion, and cultural stewardship.
Leave a Legacy of Compassion
For over 165 years, the British Benevolent Society of California has been a steadfast source of support for British nationals facing unforeseen hardships in the Western United States. From emergency repatriations to assistance with housing, medical crises, and bereavement, our mission is to ensure that no Briton faces adversity alone.
By including BBS in your estate plans, you can extend this legacy of compassion and ensure that future generations receive the support they need during their most challenging times.
Beyond traditional donations, there are many ways to support the British Benevolent Society. Whether through stock gifts, retirement distributions, or employer matching, each contribution strengthens our ability to respond to British nationals in crisis.
Gifts of Appreciated Stock or Mutual Funds
Donating long-term appreciated securities, such as stocks or mutual funds, is one of the most impactful and tax-efficient ways to support the British Benevolent Society. These types of gifts allow you to give more at a lower after-tax cost, while directly helping us deliver crisis relief to British nationals in California.
You may be eligible to deduct the full fair market value of the asset.
You can potentially avoid paying capital gains tax on the appreciation.
The entire value of your gift goes directly to helping those in urgent need.
If you are interested in making a gift of stock or mutual funds, we are happy to provide simple transfer instructions and coordinate with your broker. Please contact us at info@bbsofca.org to begin the process.
Other Meaningful Ways to Give
Donor-Advised Funds (D. A. F. s)
A donor-advised fund (DAF) allows you to make a charitable contribution, receive an immediate tax benefit, and recommend grants from the fund over time. If you have a DAF, you can recommend a grant to the British Benevolent Society and help support British citizens in crisis across the Western United States.
You can direct your gift toward where the need is greatest or a specific area of our relief work.
Your fund sponsor handles the recordkeeping, disbursements, and tax receipts.
DAFs are a powerful tool for both annual giving and legacy planning.
To recommend a grant, simply provide our legal name (British Benevolent Society of California, Inc.) and EIN (94-1442393) to your fund manager.
IRA Charitable Distributions
If you are age 70½ or older, you can make a qualified charitable distribution (QCD) directly from your Individual Retirement Account (IRA) to the British Benevolent Society. This method of giving is tax-smart and deeply meaningful.
Your gift can count toward your required minimum distribution (RMD).
When paid directly to a qualified charity, QCDs are excluded from taxable income.
QCDs can help reduce your taxable estate and provide vital aid to those in crisis.
To make a QCD, contact your IRA plan administrator and request that a distribution be made directly to the British Benevolent Society of California, Inc. For more information, consult your tax advisor.
Employer Matching Gifts & Grants
Double your impact through a matching gift program offered by your employer. Many companies will match their employees’ charitable contributions, effectively increasing your support for the BBS at no additional cost to you.
Some companies even match gifts from retirees or spouses.
Matching gifts help us expand our outreach and sustain our emergency relief programs.
To find out if your employer offers a matching gift program, check with your human resources department or use a matching gift search tool. If needed, we are happy to provide documentation to complete your match request.
Together, these giving options offer flexible, strategic ways to make a lasting difference. For assistance with any of these options, please email us at info@bbsofca.org.