2026 Annual Coats for Kids Drive

The Knights of Columbus San Salvador Council 283 in South Philadelphia are raising money to purchase much-needed winter coats and other cold-weather gear for the children served by our partner ministries and schools here in Philadelphia. This includes those under the care of the Sisters of Saint Joseph and St. Francis Inn in the Kensington area of Philadelphia.

Today, eighteen percent of American children live in poverty. As a result, many families cannot afford to provide even the basic necessity of a warm winter coat. Putting their faith into action, Knights of Columbus councils have handed out more than 1,000,000 coats to children throughout the United States and Canada through our flagship Coats for Kids program.

Last year, thanks in large part to the incredible generosity of our South Philly community we were able to purchase more than 140 brand new coats, as well as winter gloves, hats and scarves for Philadelphia children in need. This year we very much hope to exceed that raise.

Donations can be made online at: kofc283philly.org/coats-for-kids

ABOUT THE PROGRAM:

• Did you know that many children throughout the United States and Canada go without a coat each winter?

• Low-income families use their scarce resources to meet the most basic needs and cannot always afford this vital winter necessity.

• That’s why the Knights of Columbus developed the Coats for Kids program, which allows councils across North America the opportunity to put their faith into action and purchase new winter coats at bulk purchase discounted rates for children in need in their communities.

• Every dollar you donate will go directly to the purchase of new coats and warm clothing for Philadelphia children in need.

• More than 1,000,000 new winter coats have been distributed throughout the United States and Canada since the program began in 2009.

• This program’s primary goal is to help kids stay warm in the winter when a child’s family does not have the resources to adequately meet this need. A warm coat means a child can more realistically attend school, go to after-school programs, fit in with other children, play and do all the things that kids do to be kids. In a very real sense, a warm winter coat means mobility. Our mission is to make this seemingly small part of life a little bit easier for these families.