Some local children were protected from the recent cold spell by coats donated by the Knights of Columbus from St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Sequim. More than 80 coats were received by the Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) Program, Clallam County Juvenile and Family Services from the Knights.

Coats were distributed by CASA directly to children through schools and to agencies in Clallam County who serve children in need.

This makes almost 300 coats that have been distributed in Clallam County by the Knights in the past three years.

The “Coats for Kids” program is an outgrowth of the Knights “Help a Child in Need” campaign, which began in 2006. Altogether, the Knights of Columbus expect to distribute more than 30,000 coats this winter across the U.S. and Canada. 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 their work today.

The Knights from St. Joseph’s are involved in a number of fundraising activities in Clallam County. Proceeds benefit organizations including the Special Olympics, Volunteer Hospice of Clallam County, Sequim Food Bank, the Boys & Girls Club and many others.

The Knights of Columbus is the world’s largest lay Catholic organization with more than 1.7 million members worldwide.