K of C activities help those without to have a Merry Christmas

NEW HAVEN, Conn., Dec. 22 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — This Christmas, the Knights of Columbus are teaming up with organizations nationwide to make Christmas special for those most in need. With three charitable initiatives, Knights have kept the Christmas spirit alive in communities from coast to coast.

“Help a Child in Need“ solicits money for needy children through national cable television ads. The campaign was launched by the Knights in 2006. The commercial running this year features Hollywood actor Eduardo Verastegui, a Knight of Columbus himself, encouraging people to donate to the Knight’s charitable fund or a child-oriented charity in their area.

“K of C Coats for Kids“ distributes thousands of brand new coats to needy children during the winter months. It grew out of the “Help a Child in Need” program and is now in its second year. Teaming up with supplier Ultimate Apparel, the Knights of Columbus has already distributed winter coats to children in Pennsylvania, Connecticut, New Jersey, Michigan, and Ontario, with several more sites planned for the weeks ahead. In total, approximately 10,000 new coats will be given away this year.

“Food for Families“ supports food banks at both community and national level. The program began just before Thanksgiving of this year. In light of the fact that the number of Americans at risk of hunger is far higher than usual and that food banks are facing critical shortages, the Knights of Columbus committed $1 million dollars to food banks by way of a matching program that challenges individual members and councils to organize food drives and financial campaigns for their local charities.

All of these initiatives are part of the Knights’ “Neighbors Helping Neighbors” campaign which began in February of this year at a summit of volunteerism that was sponsored by the Knights. That summit drew leaders from scores of the nation’s top charitable organizations, including: The Salvation Army, Volunteers of America, United Way, Catholic Charities, Points of Light, the National Fraternal Congress, and scores of other groups.

“Especially at Christmas, as many among us face increased need in our country, it is important that we remember to help our less fortunate neighbors,” said Supreme Knight Carl Anderson. “We welcome people of good will everywhere to join with our many generous members in making this Christmas particularly special for their neighbors.”

One of the nation’s most active charitable groups, the Knights of Columbus last year set records despite the weak economy with members providing nearly 69 million hours of charitable service and more than $150 million to charitable causes. The organization has more than 1.75 million members worldwide — with the greatest number of members in the United States and Canada.

Kofc.org

SOURCE Knights of Columbus