British Columbia Knights of Columbus donate 300 winter coats to needy children

The Knights of Columbus distributed over 300 new winter coats to children in the Downtown East Side of Vancouver on Sunday, December 18. The program called “Coats for Kids” is an international initiative of the Knights of Columbus in its fourth year, which will see more than 30,000 new coats given out this winter. State Deputy, Wil Wilmot said this is the first year in British Columbia for the distribution, but it certainly won’t be our last.

Knights in Victoria, Abbotsford, Chilliwack, Penticton, Prince George and Dawson Creek also distributed coats to children in those communities bringing the total number of coats distributed in BC to over 450. Bro. Wil is encouraging his membership to expand this outreach program to more communities next year, and is hoping for a major distribution in Victoria to match the one in Vancouver.

State Community Director, Mr. Rui Carrao, who oversees this program in BC, was moved by the warmth and gratitude of the community. “The local residents came out without knowing who we were, or what we were about and welcomed us”. After her son received his new coat, one mother called Mr. Carrao “an angel” and presented the Knights with a thank you card signed by several parents addressed to “all those who cared enough to put this day together”. One youngster was insistent his dad pay for his coat before he could take it home. He had trouble understanding that someone was willing to just give away a coat.

State Secretary Edward Shawchuk told the young boy that the price for coats today was exactly “one high five”. The beaming smile from that young boy after the high five, when he realized that he was welcome to take his coat home was a moment that no money could buy.

The funding for the coats was obtained in cooperation with several of the Catholic schools of the Archdiocese of Vancouver. The students and faculty were all excited that they could work together to help children in need. In addition to distributing coats, members from the local Chinese Council of the Knights manned the kitchen to prepare hot dogs and hot chocolate for the children and coffee for the adults.

The Knights of Columbus is the world’s largest Catholic fraternal organization with more than 1.8 million members worldwide. One of the most active charity groups in North America, last year, Knights donated nearly $155 million and 70 million hours to charitable causes around the world.  If you are interested in learning more about the Knights or becoming a Knight yourself, please contact Richard Grosset, Grand Knight of Victoria KofC Council #1256.