St. Matthew Knights of Columbus provide a great day for Families

Norwalk- For ten of the eleven years Knights of Columbus St. Matthew Council #14360 has been in existence they have assisted or sponsored various events for the Family & Children's Agency(FCA) in Norwalk, which has included the Agency's annual Foster Care picnic and outings to Bluefish games as well as a day of painting with teens and seniors. For the second consecutive year, the council donated funds from various fundraisers to sponsor and take part in the FCA Child & Family Development Summer outing on August 10, 2018 at Fodor Farm on Flax Hill Road in Norwalk.

“We just want to thank you all for sponsoring the Child & Family Development picnic. All of your volunteers went above and beyond with your generosity and lending a helping hand at the party. As you can see from the turn out the clients had a wonderful time, they enjoyed all the food (including that delicious ice cream from Saugatuck Sweets) and the day’s activities. Our family here at FCA “thank you and your family at the Knights of Columbus,” said Lisa Habasinski, FCA Manager of Community Engagement.

Like last year, the weather was perfect for a day which included arts and crafts, petting zoo, face painting, a great lunch and of course ice cream which was donated by Saugatuck Sweets of Westport and Fairfield. The children and the parents really enjoyed the outing as it was a chance for all the families to bond with each other and the staff at the FCA. Some of the St. Matthew Knights and a few of their family members ran the grill and helped FCA staff with preparing the salad and cutting up watermelon for the families.

"The FCA does a great job in supporting those of all ages from young children to seniors. Our council has been honored to work with the great staff at FCA over the last 10 years and we look forward to many years to come," said Past Grand Knight and council liaison to the FCA, George Ribellino, Jr.

FCA's Child & Family Development programs provides positive parent support and programs to families and their young children. These program focuses on the critical early years of a child's life, birth to age 5, to support strong foundations for future success. FCA's staff educate and equip new and growing families with resources that help them build a strong family foundations.

These programs are designed to work with at-risk families to prevent abuse and neglect in the home.

FCA is a nonprofit organization that offers services to all ages, from children to seniors, to build strength and help provide their needs. FCA serves Fairfield County and the surrounding areas. For more info go to FamilyandChildrensAgency.org.

Friday’s picnic kicked off a busy weekend for the council. In addition, the council helped All Saints Catholic School with spreading new mulch on the playground and some members helped prepare and serve food at the Open Door Shelter in Norwalk.

The goal of the Knights of Columbus Council at Saint Matthew Church in Norwalk is to perform acts of charity, providing those in need with a range of support from financial to tactical help in dealing with a wide variety of challenges. For more information, visit saintmatthewknights.com.