| New York State Council Knights of Columbus 40-27 Douglaston Parkway Douglaston, New York 11363 (718) 225-3787 |
July 1, 2007
Dear Visitor:
On behalf of our 100,000 plus members, I would like to welcome you to the official web
site of the New York State Council, Knights of Columbus.
site of the New York State Council, Knights of Columbus.
The Knights of Columbus have been active in charitable works and community activities
throughout the Empire State for more than a century. The New York State Council is
comprised of approximately 575 separate councils, situated in far-reaching places such
as Niagara Falls, Westfield, Rouses Point and Montauck and many locations in between.
throughout the Empire State for more than a century. The New York State Council is
comprised of approximately 575 separate councils, situated in far-reaching places such
as Niagara Falls, Westfield, Rouses Point and Montauck and many locations in between.
Sincerely,
Edward F. Castellazzi
State Deputy
State Deputy
The Knights of Columbus was founded in New Haven, Connecticut, in 1882 in the
basement of St. Mary's Catholic Church by Father Michael J. McGivney and a handful of
Catholic laymen. The aim of the founder and those first members was to set up a
parish-based lay organization that offered insurance benefits. In an era when parish and
fraternal societies were popular, Father McGivney felt there should be some way to
strengthen the religious faith of his flock and provide financial support for families
overwhelmed by illness or the death of the breadwinner.
Today we have grown from that one local unit, or council, to over 14,000 councils in the
United States, Canada, Mexico, the Philippines, Puerto Rico, Cuba, the Dominican
Republic, Panama, the Bahamas, the Virgin Islands, Guatemala, Guam, Saipan and Poland.
Membership is nearly 1.7 million dues-paying members plus their families - over five
million people total - many of whom are actively involved in volunteer service programs
for the Catholic Church, their communities, their families, young people and one another.
In 2006, with 75% of the 14,000 council, 2,605 assemblies and 5,000 circles reporting,
members reported 68,270,437 hours of volunteer service and $143,816,002.00 raised and
donated to charitable and fraternal projects, including $35,133,393 from the Supreme
Council and Knights of Columbus Charities Inc., and $108,682,611 from state and local
councils. The monies raised at the state and local levels are expended exclusively for
state and local programs. Last year (2006), in New York State alone this amount totalled
1,676.283 hours of volunteer service and $3,639,588 for charity with $250,000 going to the
Katrina Relief Fund plus more than $40,000 to New York State Special Olympics.
The early system of fraternal benefits has grown into a top-quality life insurance society,
with 64 billion dollars in insurance in-force, offering a variety of policy plans to members
and their families. Both A. M. Best Co. and Standard & Poor's rate K of C insurance
"Superior"; - A++ and AAA, respectively - their highest designations for 32 consecutive
years by A.M. Best and 15 years by S&P..
The Knights of Columbus, the world's largest organization of Catholic men and their
families, has been called "the strong right arm of the Church", and has been cited by
popes, presidents and other world leaders for support of the Church, for programs of
evangelization and Catholic education, for civic involvement and aid to those in need.
Thank you for visiting with us and I look forward to any comments you would like to make.
basement of St. Mary's Catholic Church by Father Michael J. McGivney and a handful of
Catholic laymen. The aim of the founder and those first members was to set up a
parish-based lay organization that offered insurance benefits. In an era when parish and
fraternal societies were popular, Father McGivney felt there should be some way to
strengthen the religious faith of his flock and provide financial support for families
overwhelmed by illness or the death of the breadwinner.
Today we have grown from that one local unit, or council, to over 14,000 councils in the
United States, Canada, Mexico, the Philippines, Puerto Rico, Cuba, the Dominican
Republic, Panama, the Bahamas, the Virgin Islands, Guatemala, Guam, Saipan and Poland.
Membership is nearly 1.7 million dues-paying members plus their families - over five
million people total - many of whom are actively involved in volunteer service programs
for the Catholic Church, their communities, their families, young people and one another.
In 2006, with 75% of the 14,000 council, 2,605 assemblies and 5,000 circles reporting,
members reported 68,270,437 hours of volunteer service and $143,816,002.00 raised and
donated to charitable and fraternal projects, including $35,133,393 from the Supreme
Council and Knights of Columbus Charities Inc., and $108,682,611 from state and local
councils. The monies raised at the state and local levels are expended exclusively for
state and local programs. Last year (2006), in New York State alone this amount totalled
1,676.283 hours of volunteer service and $3,639,588 for charity with $250,000 going to the
Katrina Relief Fund plus more than $40,000 to New York State Special Olympics.
The early system of fraternal benefits has grown into a top-quality life insurance society,
with 64 billion dollars in insurance in-force, offering a variety of policy plans to members
and their families. Both A. M. Best Co. and Standard & Poor's rate K of C insurance
"Superior"; - A++ and AAA, respectively - their highest designations for 32 consecutive
years by A.M. Best and 15 years by S&P..
The Knights of Columbus, the world's largest organization of Catholic men and their
families, has been called "the strong right arm of the Church", and has been cited by
popes, presidents and other world leaders for support of the Church, for programs of
evangelization and Catholic education, for civic involvement and aid to those in need.
Thank you for visiting with us and I look forward to any comments you would like to make.
