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The P.E.O. Sisterhood is a nonprofit organization with chapters in the United States and Canada. Through our six International Philanthropies and the P.E.O. Foundation, we have helped more than 125,000* women pursue their educational goals by providing more than $432 million* in educational assistance, making a difference in women’s lives.
*As of April 2024
The California State Chapter of P.E.O. has more than 450 local chapters and almost 15,000 active members. There are more than 5,500 local P.E.O. chapters organized in state, provincial, and district chapters throughout the United States and Canada .
In addition to the philanthropies of the P.E.O. Sisterhood, California State Chapter administers more than 50 scholarships via six committees as well as two welfare funds, which have given more than 5,000 awards to California resident women providing more than $13.7 million dollars in educational assistance as of May 2024.
California State Chapter also administers two welfare funds, which have helped more than 1600 California resident women and men by providing more than $3.9 million dollars in emergency financial aid as of May, 2024.
P.E.O. was founded on January 21, 1869, by seven students at Iowa Wesleyan College in Mount Pleasant, Iowa. This circle of kindred spirits, bonded by friendship and their enthusiasm for educational opportunities for women, eventually expanded to include women off-campus as well. Through membership, the P.E.O. Sisterhood has brought together more than a half a million women in the United States and Canada who are passionate about helping women advance through education.
Stella Carver, originally from Mount Pleasant Iowa and a P.E.O. member in Ottumwa, Iowa, moved to Oceanside, California in 1887. She formed the first P.E.O. chapter in California – Chapter A, Oceanside – in January of 1889. With the boom and bust of California, people moved around a good bit, and Stella also organized Chapter B (Escondido, 1890) though she was not a member since the chapter was restricted at that time to unmarried women. After moving to Los Angeles, Stella was a charter member of Chapter C (1892) as well as Chapter D (Los Angeles/Highland Park, 1895) where she remained an active member for the rest of her life. With the organization of additional chapters by other early state leaders, California State Chapter was organized in 1904 with seven chapters and a total of 144 members. Stella Carver was our first State President. California was the seventh State Chapter to be organized.