The Knights of Columbus has donated $150,000 to help meet the humanitarian needs of recent immigrants arriving at the Texas border with Mexico. The fraternity of Catholic men striving to better themselves and the world are building a bridge back to faith, assisting the sick and disabled, and protecting those who can't protect themselves—whether they are next door or around the world.
"The Knights are working to help meet the needs of new arrivals along the border as we do in thousands of different ways for people in need throughout our country and the world," said Supreme Knight Carl Anderson in announcing the gifts to the Catholic communities in Laredo and El Paso. "
The dire needs of individual people must be addressed."
The gifts of $100,000 to the Diocese of El Paso and $50,000 to the Diocese of Laredo will
be used to provide
basic necessities starting from food and focusing especially on the needs of mothers and children.
The donations are the first phase of Anderson's pledge, made at the Knights' international convention in August, to commit at least $250,000 in humanitarian aid for migrant shelters to help those in camps in each of the border states or in adjoining Mexican communities. In the Texas initiative, the K of C will partner with the dioceses to help supply shelters for migrants from throughout Central America and other nations.
Speaking about the donation, El Paso Bishop Mark J. Seitz said, "This inspiring commitment from the Knights of Columbus shows that the ideals of Venerable Father
McGivney, including serving Christ in the migrant and Christian solidarity with those in need, are precisely what our country needs right now in addressing the situation at the border."
Bishop Seitz established the Border Refugee
Assistance Fund, which provides direct help to migrant shelters on El Paso's border with Ciudad Juarez, Mexico. Those who wish to donate to the Border Refugee
Assistance Fund may do so at the website for
the Diocese of El Paso.
The Knights of Columbus has a long history of coming to the aid of those in need and those who
are displaced, including most recently in the Middle East and Ukraine. In the Knights' 2018 business year, which ended June 30, the organization gave $185.7
millionto charity and donated 76.7 million hours of hands-on service.
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