K of C Celebrates Christmas with $140,000 Donated to Charities in New Haven Area

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Dec 18, 2013, 05:06 ET

Habitat for Humanity home leads list of Christmas gifts from Knights of Columbus

NEW HAVEN, Conn., Dec. 18, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- A brand new home for a New Haven family tops the list of $140,000 in Christmas giving from the New Haven headquarters of the Knights of Columbus to area charities. The new home on Congress Avenue was built with funding from the Knights under the direction of Habitat for Humanity and will be formally presented to the Tavarez family on Thursday, Dec. 19, at 2:30 p.m. Media are invited to attend.

Along with the $75,000 donated toward construction of the home, more than 20 employees from the Knights of Columbus headquarters in New Haven donated more than 150 hours this fall to help complete the project. Supreme Knight Carl Anderson will attend the ceremony at the new home of the Tavarez family.

Internationally, the Knights have donated more than $7 million and 10 million hours of hands-on involvement to Habitat for Humanity since 2007.

Other area charities will also receive financial gifts this Christmas from the Knights. Among those receiving contributions are: Columbus House, Connecticut Hospice, Farnam Neighborhood House, Christian Community Action, Community Soup Kitchen, Little Sisters of the Poor, Loaves and Fishes Food Pantry, St. Luke's Lunch for Women and Children, St. Thomas More Soup Kitchen, The Salvation Army, Immanuel Mission Baptist Church, Beacon on the Hill, Caring Cuisine, Downtown Evening Soup Kitchen, Life Haven, Community Dining Room and The Mary Wade Home.

"The Knights of Columbus is pleased to be able to support the great work these organizations do in our community" said Supreme Knight Carl Anderson. "Whether they provide housing, food, a safe place or other kinds of assistance, the spirit of giving and help that these organizations exhibit is a great reminder to all of us of the true meaning of Christmas."

The Knights of Columbus was founded in 1882 as a fraternal benefit society. The organization now has more than 1.8 million members worldwide. Last year, Knights internationally donated more than $167.5 million and 70 million hours to charitable causes.

SOURCE Knights of Columbus