English Version

This society was founded in 1882, with the initial purpose to come to assistance of the newcomers and to be used as relay with the American authorities. It was a mutual aid association which provided health insurance and the free medical consultations, but less and less these days, since the majority of the members are covered.
Pierre Despaux is the president for 35 years. Today there are more or less 40 members, the majority having more than 75 years. That is due to a reduction in French immigration and to a total absence of proselytism on behalf of the association. The motivation of the creation of this association was the mutual aid between compatriots, but today the president estimates that this motivation does not take place any more. The newcomers who come to the association seek more a material aid than a moral support, and it is not the vocation of the association to give everyone money. The adhesion of new members is not a goal. The majority of the members come from the catering business, the president himself had a restaurant, the Napoleon.
The activities consist in organizing a dinner per year. In the forties and the fifties, several balls were organize each year, balls of charity, which gathered 1000 to 2000 people, including American personalities. The majority of the members have the dual nationality.

Contact:
contact: Pierre Despaux
address: Franklin D. Roosevelt Station P.O. Box 972, New York, NY 100150-0972
phone: 212 799 0363
email: pdespaux@msn.com
website: www.lavenir.us