While some may have believed last year’s record couldn’t be topped, the Ontario Knights of Columbus are on pace to surpass their own mark this winter as councils push toward 20,000 brand-new winter coats for children in need.

To date, thousands are already in the hands of grateful school principals and families as the Canadian winter is upon us. 

It’s a Christmas season program that keeps on giving each year since 2009, when the Knights founded the Coats for Kids program. Now, 16 years later, the same program is close to exceeding 1.8 million new winter coats to be distributed to children across Canada and the United States. 

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This season kicked off at Hamilton, Ont.'s Nicholas Mancini Centre on Oct. 29, where more than 30 local Knights met with eager principals and school representatives to donate 2,500 winter coats for students in need. For Marcel Lemmen, former State Deputy and current  director for the Ontario Knights of Columbus, the energy and excitement of the day were palpable to all in attendance. 

“ We have a really good partnership with the school boards in the Hamilton area, and while we distribute the coats through various organizations like Brothers of the Good Shepherd, the Children's Aid, St. Vincent de Paul Society, our best partnerships are with the school boards,” he said.

“Who better than the teachers and the principals to know which kids need our help? The experience of connecting with them is always great because the teachers and the principals, within a couple of days, are going to be giving these to the children who need them. So often when we give to charity, it's one of these grip and grin cheque presentations where you don't really see the fruits of your charity, but with this kickoff, you really did see that as a tangible thing.” 

The roughly 40 school representatives from both Catholic and public boards showed up with pre-prepared lists of children’s names and coat sizes. Each coat donated is new, tags still on and free from company logos, giving every child who receives it a sense of dignity as they wear the same style as everyone else on the playground. 

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“The Knights of Columbus Coats for Kids program is a powerful example of faith in action, a reminder that care for others begins in our own neighbourhoods,” said David Hansen, director of education at the Hamilton-Wentworth Catholic District School Board. 

“Through the generosity of the Knights, countless children across our community will be able to walk to school, play outdoors and learn in comfort and dignity this winter. We are deeply grateful for the Knights’ continued partnership and their steadfast commitment to  serving those most in need.” 

Having  amassed a little over 18,000 coats in 2024, Lemmen predicts that by Christmas, the Knights will exceed 20,000 donated coats this year, a new high for the Ontario State Office. 

The Coats for Kids program is one that relieves an enormous burden for struggling families that find themselves squeezed thin during the Christmas season. 

“ Providing something as basic as a winter coat for kids often allows parents to spend their money on other things that the family needs.  Even throughout the winter, we get calls from schools that need coats and a lot of newcomers who arrive in Canada and aren't prepared for winters; we like to be there for them as well,” he said. 

No matter the season, the numbers generated by the Ontario Knights of Columbus remain impressive milestones that are seemingly shattered each December. As for how ordinary Catholic men, many busy with their own jobs and families, some struggling financially themselves during Christmas, manage to pull off something this big every single year, Lemmen attests that many hands make light work. 

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“ We've got a little over 57,000 members in Ontario in about 460 councils, and so we coordinated centrally from our Ontario headquarters here in Hamilton, providing the infrastructure for the councils to get involved,” he said. 

Those interested in contributing to the Ontario Knights of Columbus Coats for Kids program can do so via the ‘DONATE’ option on the state office’s website at ontariokofc.ca/.