The Legion of Good Will (LGW)—settled in the USA since 1986, by order of the President of the Legion of Good Will, José de Paiva Netto—is active not only in New York State through its Representative Office to the United Nations, but also in New Jersey State through its Community Center located in Newark. In this center, it holds programs in the social, educational and health areas, which contribute towards developing and improving the quality of life of thousands of low-income families and people.

The Organization officially began its activities in the U.S. with the LGW’s Charity Round program, distributing food and clothes to the homeless. Another work front was the distribution of pamphlets containing educative messages, giving value to the Human Being and his/her Eternal Spirit. "We used to do a lot of that within the majestic grounds of Central Park, and at other busy places. We used to show photographs of the work developed with the children assisted by the LGW and also the articles in which Brother Paiva wrote about Ecumenical Spirituality issues. Another task which afforded me a great degree of pleasure was the divulging of the message of the LGW’s President in New York’s Public Library”, says Walter Periotto, one of the first Legionnaire to initiate the Legion of Good Will's activities in the United States.

Little by little, the Organization began to expand its work in North America. In 2009, the LGW in the U.S. delivered to the population of Newark, New Jersey, the new installations of its Community Center, where several educational, social and health programs are already underway. The premises were completely remodeled by the volunteers with donations that came from the inhabitants of that region. The Charity Round continues to be performed by the LGW, having the goal to restore the self-esteem and citizenship of the homeless.

The Organization also carries out the SAVE Program, which offers medical consultations and cancer prevention exams for women, a disease that is considered one of the greatest causes of death in the U.S.. In order to ensure an efficient monitoring of women above 40, the project began to be conducted on a monthly basis and also counts with an itinerant bus offered by the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey. This bus goes all the way to the LGW, carrying modern equipment to conduct on-site examinations, including mammography and Pap test. Talks on prevention through self-examination are also part of this action strategy.

It’s worth highlighting the fact that the Organization takes the Peace and Good Will Garden Project to schools, which stimulates an awareness of solidarity in the school environment through art, helping to fight the wave of violence between children and young people in the U.S..

Good Will in the United Nations

For all this work carried out in the U.S. and in various regions throughout the world, the Legion of Good Will is officially acknowledged in the UN’s Department of Public Information since 1994. In 1999, the Organization also obtained general consultative status (the highest degree) in the UN’s Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC).

In Manhattan

On July 3, 2010, the Legion of Good Will*¹ (LGW) of the United States of America inaugurated its representation office to the United Nations, in Manhattan. Located at 36 W 44th Street (between 5th and 6th Avenues), it will help strengthen the voice of Latin American civil society over the issues discussed at the UN, where the LGW holds general consultative status in the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) since 1999. This is the greatest recognition that a civil society organization can obtain at the United Nations, and through which the LGW is allowed to present its recommendations concerning all the items on the development agenda of the organization. By doing that it contributes to a greater efficiency in the international public policies.

Besides having this purpose, the Legion of Good Will office in New York also aims at mobilizing New Yorkers and members of the international community to participate in the socioeducational programs and projects undertaken by the LGW in the United States and in six other countries.

Visit, fall in love with and help the LGW! The Community Center of the Legion of Good Will in the U.S. is located at 20 Calumet Street, Newark/New Jersey.