As temperatures continue to drop, the Knights of Columbus’ Toronto Council 1388 is maximizing the reach of its Give a Kid a Coat this Christmas campaign through a newfound partnership with the Catholic Children’s Aid Society of Toronto (CCAS).

Together, with the efforts of Toronto Catholic schools Northmount and De La Salle College, the initiative has resulted in the delivery of 360 custom winter coats to children and families in need this Christmas season. 

While the Coats for Kids campaign is a longstanding tradition for the Knights as a collective having donated over one million winter coats nationally as of this year and more than 10,000 for all of Ontario last year, it’s the first time the organization has partnered with the Catholic Children’s Aid. The two share similar missions and values, with Council 1388 now officially helping CCAS continue to strengthen families, children and youth through various support and services. 

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“We have recently been interested in doing more partnerships around this project and we wanted an organization that could handle the distribution of so many coats to children. Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Toronto let me know that CCAS has a lot of needs and that they would be worth reaching out to, and so we did,” explained Francois Helou, a member of Council 1388. 

Dec. 6 saw 30 boxes, each containing 12 coats, delivered to the society. Fifteen boxes were funded through local fundraising efforts and an additional 15 boxes were matched by the Knights of Columbus. The coats are provided in varying sizes and are made specifically for the Knights, ensuring their heavy-duty build can withstand Canadian winters. 

“One of the things we found when Council 1388 started their own campaign in 2016 was that the coats were great, but were a little thin for the Canadian climate. We lobbied and now the coats produced are custom-made for us and will fit our harsh winters,” said Henry Miller, council advocate. “They have a high-quality look with high-quality build to match and they are just beautiful.”

“We are helping kids in having a coat not only to keep them warm but very often we hear that, a lot of children who don't have those coats spend most of the winter in the house. These coats provide comfort but also the social skills to go out, play hockey and interact with other kids during the winter times while staying warm,” said Helou. 

Assisting with the Dec. 6 delivery to the CCAS office in midtown Toronto were students from Northmount and De La Salle, who were instrumental in the two organizations' success during this year’s program. Priscilla Manful, chief executive officer of the CCAS, was quick to praise the efforts of the students who span Grades 9-12, noting that their memories in nurturing social responsibility will likely last a lifetime. 

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“These students are learning that giving is rarely just about money or material things, it's really about contributing to the well-being of others and also making a tangible difference in their communities,” she said. “It was so heartwarming to see them meet the opportunity to learn more about what we do at CCAS and I credit their parents for instilling the good values of not only looking at their levels of privilege but looking at the program from the perspective of how they can give back in a way that is truly meaningful.” 

Both Helou and Miller agree, as well as Jim Gilligan, the executive director of the Catholic Children's Aid Foundation. For him, it is the impact the initiative manages to have on both those receiving and providing support, a shared experience in which he can’t decide who benefits the most. 

“It is quite amazing to see the young people from these schools and how they respond in the way they do. It’s an opportunity they have to open themselves up to the possibility of understanding that these people who are being helped are their peers. When they get into university and into the world, they might have these people as their classmates and co-workers,” Gilligan said. 

“Their world is much different than their own and so it's a great thing for them to be able to open their eyes to see what some of the challenges are for them and to understand the world better than perhaps they would otherwise.” 

The Knights of Columbus are hoping to continue a similar partnership in the coming Christmas seasons, citing the fundraising and distribution as a natural fit between the organizations. They are also confident in the province’s ability to once again surpass 10,000 funded and delivered coats this year as Christmas fast approaches. 

Manful shared a similar hope upon giving her thanks to her staff, volunteering students and the Knights for helping to make its first year of collaborating one of warm success. 

“The Knights choosing us as partners tells me that they see the work that we are doing and that we are very committed to supporting the most vulnerable in our communities. I give grace and thanks to God for bringing all of us together. Everything happens through His divine orchestration and to be able to do this brings hope to children within families,” she said. 

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The CCAF is also offering additional Christmas programs that further aim to help children, youth and families around this time of year. One of these initiatives is known as Adopt a Family, where the Catholic community of the Archdiocese of Toronto are invited to purchase gifts for certain families in need. The foundation is expecting to service 200 families with roughly $125,000 in donations, gift cards and individual toys for adoptive families. 

More info about Adopt a Family and other Christmas initiatives can be found at https://www.ccafdn.ca/for-donors/adopt-a-family-application/.