Coats for Kids

2018

Area Knights of Columbus Councils Help Kids Keep Warm This Winter.

Following article and photos by Gerry Mattix-Wand

The cold came to the area early this year, but the area Councils of the Knights of Columbus were ready. Their “Coats for Kids” program is designed to provide warm coats to children in need. On Black Friday, members of the Bethalto, Alton, and Godfrey Councils met representatives from Catholic Charities of Alton and Riverbend Ministries at the Spaulding Hall in Alton (formerly Alton KC Hall) who will then distribute them to children in need of a coat for the winter. Catholic Charities of Alton received 72 coats and Riverbend Ministries received 48 coats from the Knights. Gilson Brown Elementary School also received 24 coats from the Godfrey Council. In total 144 coats in sizes ranging from youth to teen were given out.

The Knights of Columbus developed the Coats for Kids program, which allows councils across North America the opportunity to put their Catholic faith into action and purchase new winter coats at a discount for children in need in their communities. More than 500,000 new winter coats have been distributed throughout the United States and Canada since the program began in 2009.

2017