Knights of Columbus deliver new winter coats for children
Just before Thanksgiving, the Knights of Columbus Star of the Sea Council 7297, affiliated with St. Edmond Roman Catholic Church in Rehoboth Beach, donated $3,837 in brand-new winter coats for children, 144 in total.
Half of the coats were given to the Catholic Charities Basic Needs Program; the other half were provided to First State Community Action Agency Family Resource Development Program.
When delivering the coats, Grand Knight Richard Duffy said, “We call the framework of our activities faith in action, which includes our coats for kids program. We are pleased to have a relationship with Catholic Charities and the First State Community Action Agency, and are glad to help children and their families in our Sussex County communities.”
Peter Polo, council trustee and director of community programs, said, “Many children go without a coat each winter. Many low-income families use their scarce resources to meet their most basic needs and require help to provide this vital winter necessity. The Knights of Columbus Coats for Kids program allows councils to purchase new winter coats at a significant discount and to distribute them to children in need in their local communities. In the past 10 years, over 400,000 coats have been distributed across North America.”
Jennifer Parsons, case manager for Sussex and Kent counties, accepted the coats on behalf of Catholic Charities, saying, “The basic needs program helps families and individuals who need help maintaining their self-sufficiency. This program deals with immediate needs as well as helping to prevent future emergencies. These coats are a blessing for the families of the children getting these coats.”
Carolyn Collie said First State maintains eight programs to lessen the effects of poverty on people of low income, while working to eliminate poverty by helping people help themselves. The family resource development program, which includes emergency services and comprehensive case management, and promotes safe and stable families, needs these coats. They were to have been distributed within days.
Star of the Sea Council 7297 is one of 17,000 Knights of Columbus Councils worldwide. Its almost 200 members put their faith into action over a broad range of charitable causes through financial contributions and hands-on service.
