Food for Families
The Knights of Columbus is committed to ending hunger in local communities by asking local councils to participate in the Orderwide Food for Families Program.
Since 2012, the Knights of Columbus has donated over $2.7 million and 3.8 million pounds of food to local food pantries, community food banks and soup kitchens.
Supreme Rebates
To help and encourage your Council, Assemblies, and Squire Circles to participate in this Food for Families Program, the Supreme Council offers a financial rebates program. For Councils or Assemblies, the Supreme Council will refund $100 for every $500 donated or for every 1,000 pounds of food that a Council or Assembly contributes to a parish food pantry, community food bank, (up to a maximum of $500 per Council or Assembly per fraternal year). Circles will receive a refund from the Supreme Council of $20 for every $100 donated, or every 100 pounds of food that is contributed (up to a maximum refund of $100 per circle per fraternal year). Reported contributions of food and/or monetary donations should be cumulative for the fraternal year. There is no need to send in a refund request every time a contribution is made; however, to be eligible for the rebate, the cumulative total of contributions of food and money needs to at a minimum of $500 or 1,000 pounds of food for Councils or Assemblies, and a minimum of $100 or 100 pounds of food for Circles. Food for Families donations must be validated via a receipt signed by the receiving organization.
In addition, the Supreme Council recognizes that participating in this program can be time consuming for the local Council. Should a Council choose to participate in this program, this will fulfill all four of the Family Activity requirements for the Columbian Award. In order for a Council to qualify as fulfilling all four requirements, the Council must collect and donate a minimum of 1,000 pounds of food and Council members must contribute a minimum of 100 man-hours in the program.