Knights Of Columbus Donates Food, Raises Funds For DC Food Banks

WASHINGTON, DC — For residents of Wards 7 and 8 in the District, finding fresh food can be a challenge in normal times, but it's even more difficult during the coronavirus pandemic.

To help out those facing limited food choices during this crisis, the Knights of Columbus, the world's largest Catholic fraternal organization and one of the premier charitable volunteer groups, is supporting D.C.-area food banks with increased volunteerism, a fundraising campaign, and a $50,000 donation.

"In the District of Columbia, we have 3,000 members spread throughout the District itself. Our principles are charity, unity and fraternity, which falls into what we are doing in this current pandemic crisis," said Brandon Brown, president of the D.C. Knights of Columbus.

The effort is just the initial part of Knights of Columbus’ Leave No Neighbor Behind campaign, which aims to mobilize its 1.25 million members and provide $1 million to at-risk communities across the U.S.

Working closely with local food banks and different parishes throughout the city that have food pantries, the D.C. Knights of Columbus is helping with donations of food, equipment, or anything else that's needed. In addition, volunteers are assisting other organizations in the District, such as So Others Might Eat, the John S. Mulholland Family Foundation, and Catholic Charities, in collecting food and other materials.

"It's organizing the Knights to be able to pick up food from their local parishes or if they're out and about at the grocery store, buying extra canned goods and things like that, and delivering those to those food pantries and those organizations that are most in need," Brown said.

Mobilizing to help families impacted by the coronavirus pandemic is the type of thing the Knights of Columbus routinely does, according to Brown. In the past, volunteers have helped out with disaster relief, from flooding to fires. The organization was originally founded in the later 1800s to help widows and orphaned children.

"It'll be a continuous effort that we will be doing until this pandemic is over and not just after the pandemic, if people continue to lose their jobs or continue to be unemployed," Brown said. "This will be an ongoing effort that we will continue throughout the rest of the year and as long as this crisis and this economic downturn of the United States will be continuing."

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