What is P.E.O.?

P.E.O. is a Philanthropic Educational Organization where women celebrate the advancement of women; educate women through scholarships, grants, awards, loans, and stewardship of Cottey College; and motivate each other to achieve their highest aspirations.

P.E.O.s are women of all ages, from all walks of life, united in a shared passion for educating women and the belief that doing so can change the world.  Friendship is the cornerstone of P.E.O. — it is the legacy left by our Founders and it thrives in our unique Sisterhood. P.E.O. exists to be a source of encouragement and support for women to realize their potential in whatever worthwhile endeavor they choose.

Interested in becoming a P.E.O. member?

P.E.O. – WOMEN HELPING WOMEN REACH FOR THE STARS

P.E.O.s are women of all ages, from all walks of life, united in a shared passion for educating women and the belief that doing so can change the world.  Friendship is the cornerstone of P.E.O. — it is the legacy left by our Founders and it thrives in our unique Sisterhood.

Interested in becoming a P.E.O. member?

P.E.O. – WOMEN HELPING WOMEN REACH FOR THE STARS

P.E.O. exists to be a source of encouragement and support for women to realize their potential in whatever worthwhile endeavor they choose.

Interested in becoming a P.E.O. member?

History of P.E.O.

P.E.O. was founded in 1869 by seven young women at Iowa Wesleyan College in Mt. Pleasant, Iowa.  Bonded in friendship and the belief in women’s education, this small group of seven friends soon expanded to include others within their community.  From there it expanded across the United States and, by the 1920’s, north into Canada.  Friendship remains the cornerstone of our Sisterhood, a legacy entrusted to us by our founders.

Celebrate

Educate

Motivate

NORTHEAST DISTRICT CHAPTER OF THE P.E.O. SISTERHOOD (NEDC)

The Northeast District Chapter (NEDC) is made up of four states; Maine, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont.  It was the first district chapter organized in the P.E.O. Sisterhood.  Convocation was held in Rockport, Maine on November 3, 1990, where Shirley Hall, Chapter I-Maine was elected as the first president of the Northeast District.  Today, the “district” has grown to 39 chapters with over 1200 members. 

P.E.O. is an international organization with almost a quarter of a million members in over 6,000 chapters across the United States and Canada and is headquartered in Des Moines, Iowa.  We are proud to be part of this international sisterhood that promotes the education and betterment of women worldwide through scholarship, grant, and loan programs.

Interested in a scholarship, loan, or grant? 

Would you like to donate?