Twenty-four more kids of low-income families in Vanderhoof won’t need to worry about the incoming cold this year, thanks to a donation of coats from the Knights of Columbus last week.
It’s the third year for the town’s Knights of Columbus to donate children’s jackets to NeighbourLink Vanderhoof, participating in the organization’s Coats for Kids program along with 2,000 other councils across the country and the United States, said Grand Knight Bernie LaRusic of Vanderhoof’s council.
The jackets will help NeighbourLink provide support for struggling families in the area, along with the charity’s other programs such as its food bank, thrift store, as well as Wednesday luncheons, said its coordinator Eric Black.
In 2009, the Knights of Columbus had launched its Coats for Kids program to keep kids warm in harsh winter climates, especially for many families who were struggling in tough economic times, according to the organization.
The severe winter of 2013-14 was a record year for the program, as 51,924 coats were donated to children in need — distributing 10,000 more coats by 200 more councils across North America than the previous year.