Knights of Columbus launch ‘Coats for Kids’ program

Washington D.C., Jan 20, 2009 / 05:04 am

On Monday the Knights of Columbus began to distribute thousands of coats to needy children through its “Coats for Kids” program.

The Knights of Columbus, a Catholic fraternal charitable organization, purchased 7,800 coats from OshKosh B'gosh and London Fog. The coats will be distributed through local Knights councils in several U.S. cities, beginning today in Washington, D.C.

Parents who are unable to secure warm clothing for their children are invited to bring their children to distribution locations to receive a new coat.

"As our nation faces tough economic times, we believe it is very important to respond within our communities in concrete ways to help those most in need," Supreme Knight Carl A. Anderson said in a press release. "Helping children in need was a fundamental reason for the formation of the Knights of Columbus in 1882 and continues to be a very important component of our work today."

The "Coats for Kids" program is an outgrowth of the Knights' "Help a Child in Need" campaign, which began in 2006 by encouraging people to donate to charities in their areas in support of poor children.

Coats are also scheduled to be distributed later this month in the Detroit and Chicago areas. More details are available at the Knights of Columbus’ website www.kofc.org/coats