Testimonials

Some kind words

Dear Mr. VKCCI President:

Thank you for the donation the VKCCI made to help install a walk-in shower in our home. My husband has recently been able to use the shower and says a prayer of thanks every time he uses it. It is a blessing. His progress in walking has been slow but sure. It is only through help such as yours that he is able to enjoy a more normal life. Again, thank you!

Sincerely,
(Name withheld)

To whom it may concern at the Knights of Columbus:

I am sincerely grateful to all involved, for your help in regards to the generous donation in this time of my greatest need.

I give thanks to God the Father that in His great mercy, He heard my prayers and placed it in your hearts. At the same time, in His infinite goodness, I know He will provide many blessings and graces for you and your families for this generous charity and kindness.

Be assured of my prayers.

With sincere gratitude,
(Name withheld)

To: The VKCCI President and Board:

First, we would like to thank you for the tremendous blessing. Once in a lifetime, a miracle happens. The VKCCI grant was it! Let me take you through the effect of your miracle blessing. I was out of town when my wife got the call from the landlord advising of the coming eviction in five days. I immediately called the landlord and pleaded for a little more time. He said that his intention was not to evict but to provide notice. I hung up and said out loud “Thank you, Jesus!” and called my wife to tell her we had more time.

The Grand Knight filled out the grant request and sent it in. Within a couple of days, he notified me that we had been approved. I cried. And I am crying now as I write this letter. The sheer magnitude of the blessing allowed our kids homeschooling to continue, my career to last, our ministries to move forward, and Mass to be celebrated. I have an older daughter and she had no clue what had happened, as she has anxiety problems. It would have been sad for her to find out we were on the street due to eviction. The generous amount given helped us so much.

In closing, we are so thankful for saintly help. You have gone beyond the call of duty. Our children are so grateful and not thinking of being homeless. I’m humbled. Me and my wife never received an eviction notice. We have been married almost 15 years. Thanks be to God!

Vivat Jesus!
(Name withheld)

The Grant was for used to purchase and erect a fence to allow our autistic child to go outside and keep the child safely within the yard.

The roof is now leak proof and the homeowner cried when the work was finished.  She hugged everyone and offered to pay the workers something, but they said it wouldn’t be “charity” if they received anything.

If the Grant hadn’t been issued the man would be on the street.

All the Fence Building Workers and VKCCI:

Due to our son’s autism, he has a tendency to run away.  Because of this, he wears a tracer, but that is not enough to keep him safe.  Due to his issues, he has the ability to run into the street without understanding the dangers. 

This fence has allowed him to play outside daily, which has helped him to receive vitamin D.  He is exercising more and he sleeps better at night.  This also has helped my wife and I, by allowing us to play with him outside knowing that he is in a safe place. 

My family cannot express how much this fence, funded by VKCCI and built by Council members, has improved the health and well-being of our son.  I want you to know that you “all” have made a great difference in the life of this family.  Please know that what you do for others changes lives for the better!

Thank you!
The (name withheld) family

Dear Virginia Knights of Columbus Charities, Inc.,

It is with enormous gratitude we address this letter to you today. Our hearts are graciously humbled with the wonderful generosity the organization provided for our dearly departed Mother and Aunt. The grant that was bestowed upon us helped us tremendously. We could not have been able to properly make funeral arrangements without your help and we feel extremely blessed.

Our thoughts and prayers will always be with you and again thank you from the bottom of our hearts She was a beloved Aunt, Sister, and Mother to all, would always remind us that prayer moves mountains. We strongly feel this to be true as we received the news from your organization. Your immediate response was a Godsend, and we will never forget your answer at this time of anguish and despair.

We applaud and give thanks to God and all the angels in heaven for such a beautiful organization and to all those individuals who came together to make this happen. With all the years she, her dearly departed husband, and nephew have been with the Knights of Columbus, we cannot stress enough how thankful we are for this gift.

Our prayers were answered as we received the grant and we truly appreciate this gift of love you showed our family but above all to our generous, courageous child of God. Her many teachings will remain in our hearts forever. We join you in prayer as faithful servants for each and every one of our brothers and sisters in Christ. Prudy, as she was so lovingly called by many, cherished each and every one of you Knights and we could not agree more. Our sincerest gratitude.

May God bless you abundantly,
The (name removed) Family
(Four hand signatures)

The Grant was essential in supporting a Brother Knight and the family of the deceased while in great need. The speed and responsiveness with which VKCCI provided the funds, and the VKCCI President’s dedicated support, were exemplary. Our Pastor called out the Knights of Columbus at the end of several masses as a living example of Charity, Unity, and Fraternity. The VKCCI grant was truly an exemplification of all that Blessed Fr. McGivney intended for the Knights of Columbus. Our entire Council, our Brother Knight, the family of the deceased, and the entire parish have expressed their deepest gratitude for this grant and the peace it has delivered to the Brother Knight and the family of the deceased.

(Name withheld), Grand Knight

To the Virginia Knights of Columbus Charities, Inc. (VKCCI),

As the Grand Knight of (Name and Council Number withheld) and its members, I am writing to express my sincere and deepest thanks for Virginia Knights of Columbus Charities, Inc. (VKCCI) for the recent $4,000.00 grant provided for the (name withheld) family in our parish.

Your grant to the (name withheld) family has demonstrated the Knights of Columbus deepest commitment to helping families who have run into unexpected financial difficulties, through no fault of their own and are unable to pay their bills. It holds true as Knights of Columbus that financial difficulties should not be something our brothers and sisters should experience alone. The grant to the (name withheld) helped to provide basic life needs to help their financial burden. I am always touched when we as Knights of Columbus are capable of perpetuating God’s love to our brothers and sisters in need and helping to ensure their needs never go unmet.

There is no way to fully express my gratitude as the Grand Knight and the members of my Council for the VKCCI coming to the aid of one of our parish families. As Knights we are continually inspired by the dedication and generosity of VKCCI who answers the call to give again and again. It is my hope that as Grand Knight of my Council, and speaking on behalf of our members, we can continue to provide support to those in need through the generosity of individual Knights throughout the Commonwealth of Virginia.

I would be remiss if I did not recognize the support provided by Ms. (name withheld), Executive Assistant and Outreach Director of the parish for her loyal and dedicated support to those in need and bringing the plight of the (name withheld) family to our attention. Let us continue to embrace our solemn duty to God, country, our Catholic faith, our families, and to each other. We may not know what lies around the corner, however, our lifeline as Knights of Columbus will be secure if we remain connected, honest, truthful, and virtuous.

May God continue to bless and keep you and your families, the Knights of Columbus, our way of life, and our Catholic Faith.

Very Respectfully,
Your Brother in Christ,
(Name Withheld), Grand Knight

Dear Knights of Columbus,

Thank you so much for the leading efforts of the Past Grand Knight, the current Grand Knight, the Knights of Columbus, and the local Council for supporting the VKCCI grant request. Because of the approval of this grant, our recent storm damage costs will be lessened considerably. As you know, my sixteen-year-old son, requires 24/7 care and wheelchair access. The recent storm sent a large tree into our home including the wheelchair access ramp we use to transport him to his doctor appointments and hospitalizations. The ramp was damaged beyond repair and replacing it is required. The costs far exceed the insurance coverage and we are most grateful for the assistance this grant affords our family.

Over the years I have been accompanying my dad to several KOC functions. I always knew it was an extraordinary organization, but had no idea how much it would one day help my own family. Everything about my son’s life points to Jesus. He wasn’t supposed to live beyond 3 months, but for God. He wasn’t supposed to be able to hear, but for God. He wasn’t supposed to be able to grow a beard at age 15, but for God. Things most people take for granted, like the growing of facial hair on their teen boys, God reminds me of His faithfulness. The provision from your organization points to Jesus and how He provides for more than we can ask or imagine!

Again, thank you to the Knights of Columbus and VKCCI/KOVAR being there for our family in a time of stress and need. If you share this note with the Council at large, I request all brother Knights consider VKCCI/KOVAR in any end of year charity giving.

Sincerely,
(Name withheld)

Worthy Sir,

It is with great pleasure that I am writing this letter.

First, I am able to see to type it which I could not do for a long time due to bleeding in my eyes caused by Diabetes.

Second, I am well enough to sit down and write this letter of thanks for the grant that VKCCI gave to my council to be used to pay some of my medical bills which have skyrocketed this past year.

I have been diagnosed with a very rare bone marrow cancer that affects only 14,000 to 16,500 people in the US. It has the effect of taking most of my energy away leaving me unable to even keep up my property, let alone continue to bring home a paycheck from my remodeling and renovation company. This has caused my wife to seek employment outside the company so we can pay our bills.

Without the grant several of my creditors would have taken me to court to collect.

Again, thank you to the VKCCI Corporation for helping a Brother in his time of need. I have known of the work done by this group in the past, both having requested and received grants for other individuals while I was GK of the council but also while serving as FS for the past 14 years.

Due to my vision and other health issues I have had to resign from the FS position and no longer hold any office in the council but I still stay in touch with the Brothers and will continue to do so as long as I can.

Please pass on to the other board members my heartfelt thanks for the helping hand I so desperately needed.

(Name withheld)

Dear Grand Knight and the Knights of Columbus,

I write to you with a humble heart and the utmost gratitude. November is the month of thanksgiving. Therefore, I find it an appropriate time to give thanks to all of you.

In May of 2016, I came home from the funeral of a dear friend on Memorial Day only to find “Bonnie” (a storm) took my roof. That was bad, but even worse was to find out my homeowner’s insurance policy would not cover one copper penny of replacing it. They patched the roof with a tarp cover and dried the inside of my attic and the inside walls of my home but that was it. Being a widow for over ten years with a daughter in college and losing work left and right, it had been a real struggle for me financially even before I lost my roof.

I was directed to the Knights of Columbus by a friend who assured me you would be able to help. I first contacted (name) who directed me to the then Grand Knight. After my appeal to the Grand Knight, a Council member gave me a call and then appeared at my home with paperwork in hand. Nothing was guaranteed but the process began. The Council member apologized for having to ask so many personal questions and treated me with the utmost dignity and respect. I didn’t find the process too personal at all, after all, you were helping me. A major concern of the Knights of Columbus was that this would be a band-aid and not a solution to my financial needs. However, I assured you that it would allow me to sell my house, which I had already decided to do.

I decided to downsize since I was no longer able to physically manage the property or financially afford to keep it. I really don’t understand how people hold on to properties and go into foreclosure rather than sell it and walk away with some equity. The Knights of Columbus voted to approve helping me. The approval was made and on August 20, 2016, which would have been my wedding anniversary, my roof was repaired. Funny how my late husband always reminds me he is around. I did not pick this date, it was given to me by the repair company. What a blessing! My house was finally put up for sale in April and sell I did. It took a while and sold in September.

I want to thank the Knights of Columbus for helping me. I am so appreciative of all you have done for me and my daughter. I have since moved into the (blank) House, a home for homeless women trying to get back on their feet. But have no fear, I am NOT homeless. I am the House Manager or “House Mom” as some would say. And now I would like to give back. I would like to donate $1,000.00 to the Knights of Columbus so that you can continue to help others like me. Thank you for helping me in my time of need. I’d also like to thank the many Knights of Columbus who have been a friend and confidant to me. There are several: (names) and others who have always offered a kind word and/or smile. I appreciate all of you.

First Timothy 5:5 “She who is truly a widow, left all alone, has set her hope on God and continues in supplications and prayers night and day.” I pray, and will continue to pray for the Knights of Columbus who have rescued this widow and helped so many others in need. May God richly bless each one of you. May you continue to do the good deeds you do with dignity and respect. I, for one am truly grateful.

Peace and blessings,
(Name withheld)

To: VKCCI:

I want to express my sincere appreciation for all the assistance that the Knights gave to me when my son, (name), passed away. I was so sad about that and also had no idea how I was going to pay for his cremation. Then I received word from someone I knew that the Knights were going to take care of it. (I felt like y’all were Super Heroes.) You even went one step further and paid some of my utilities.

So from the bottom of my heart, Thank You !!!

Sincerely,
(Name withheld)

To VKCCI:

Thank you and your team for your support. This will help us cover our rental fee for the coming two months. This is a huge help for us, and I do not have enough words to express my gratitude and appreciation. I pray for the lord to shower all of you with his blessings.

To be honest, I have never thought of “support” for (rather, I have been involved in supporting needy families in Our churches in any way I can) and am of that personality that prefers “giving” to “receiving”.

God bless your families. God bless this generous country. Peace and blessings to all of you!

Sincerely,
(Name withheld)

Dear Sir:

I am writing to express my sincere thankfulness to you and the Virginia Knights of Columbus Charities, Inc. for assisting me to save my home by paying past due mortgage and late fees as I struggle for healing and return to normal after my brain surgery to remove an aggressive tumor.

Your assistance has taken away a lot of tremendous stress from me and the family and has improved my morale to better myself through physical and occupational therapy. I am still partially disabled on my right side but very hopeful to fully recover.

I am also so appreciative of the assistance received from the local council. May the almighty God continue to strengthen our hearts and souls to love him as our Lord, and to love each other as neighbors.

Yours Sincerely,
(Name withheld)

The Grant kept the car from being repossessed, this was her only means to get to work, earning a meager living of working for income.  She has continually thanked the Knights for their assistance and generosity.

Please let the Knights know we are humbled and overwhelmed by their generosity.  May God bless you and them and keep you all safe.  The Knights will always be in our prayer intentions.  Thank You a Thousand times over.

As Grand Knight, I cannot begin to express my gratitude for VKCCI’s help in supporting this Brother in need. Further, I was extremely impressed with the efficiency, with appropriate measures preserving anonymity, of the VKCCI team’s processing, deliberation, and approval of my request. This supplemented our Council and related Charity Corporation efforts to assist in the total problem during a time of limited fundraising/resources due to COVID. The following is from our Brother Knight:

“Worthy Grand Knight, please pass on my sincere appreciation to both the charity corporation and VKCCI for assisting my family bills this month. Never in my wildest dreams would I have expected to need assistance with my normal bills. You will never know the depths of my appreciation and how much stress this has removed from my family. Thank you again!”

(Names withheld)

Dear Grand Knight,

On behalf of my wife and children, I thank you for the support and assistance you provided us during this arduous and anxious time. We are sincerely grateful to you for going the extra mile for us. While a can’t repay you at the moment, I can pray for God’s graces upon you and your family.

Gratefully yours,
(Name withheld)

Dear Worthy Grand Knight,

It is with the deepest gratitude that I write this letter to thank the Virginia Knights of Columbus Charities Organization for their incredible generosity towards a parish family (name withheld) in need. In addition, I thank you Grand Knight and your Brother Knights for your kindness and compassion in assisting this parish family in navigating the grant process and taking care of the details, relieving stress from them at this difficult and challenging time. May God reward you all for your goodness.

Pax et botem,
Fr. John (Name withheld)

Dear members of the Knights of Columbus,

It is with profound thanks that I send this message to you, not knowing who will read it, but knowing I have been the recipient of a gift from the most caring men’s organization in the world.

So many of the most memorable times in my married life were spent in activities of the Knights, both in working alongside of my husband, who was a very active member for over 50 years, and in social events, which made up such a big part of our lives. So much of the time involved our children, as our local council had so many activities that involved the entire family.

Although my husband passed away in 2010 I am still attend Knights functions and enjoy my association with great long time friends.

My last surviving sister died in late December. She had been very remiss in making plans for her final rites. Never having been married there was no one else to take care of these arrangements, so therefore, they fell on my shoulders.

Here I was in my retirement years, with my final arrangements taken care of and I had to take on this responsibility.

I live on my retirement income and had no idea how I was going to handle this burden at my young age of 90 years. Thinking back I remembered that the Knights have a Charity Fund so I applied and you know the rest of my story. I cried with joy when I was told that your wonderful organization had come to my rescue. You will never know the relief. You guys will be remembered in my prayers daily for the rest of my life.

God bless you one and all,
Widow of a faithful and devoted Knight of Columbus

Sirs,

(Intro Prayer) From the bottom of our hearts, we give our deepest thanks to those who helped us in our time of need. God bless the hands and hearts of those who blessed us. Thank you.

Thank you, thank you, for throwing us a life preserver. For giving me the ability to provide and care for the ones that I love. Thank you for helping me, to help myself. You put the wind in my sails, giving me the ability to navigate those unpredictable currents called life. Your grant helped my family in ways you will never know, and I am eternally grateful.

Warmest regards,
(Name withheld)

Dear Knights,

My beautiful Mom (name) came to live with my daughter and me after suffering three stokes in the summer of 2014. By the grace of God, we were able to hire a caregiver to care for mom in our home. After mom suffered a fourth stroke, in May 2016, she could no longer walk or even stand, and she was having difficulty breathing in her bed. Thanks to your generosity, my mom was able to get a sleep-chair and other medical equipment that she desperately needed.

Thanks to you, my mom was able to spend her last months on earth in her pretty little room at our house rather than in a facility. This had been her final wish and my heart’s desire.

I was with my mom only a couple of minutes before the angels came. You made that possible!

Thank you!
(Name withheld)

Dear Worthy, Mr. Vice President for Grants,

I am providing some follow-up information to a recent VKCCI Grant provided to one of our council members. Brother Knight C was injured in a fall, breaking his wrist, hand and hip in three places. Most of the grant went to car payments and insurance. This is, and always has been, critical to Brother C and his family because if they can’t get to work, they will have no income. They have always worked all over the county, wherever work was available. His wife has not been able to work since the accident, as she has spent her time at home nursing him. However, when I last visited him a couple of days ago, he was making good progress; he was able to stand and take a couple of steps with a walker. He had just begun to do this in the last couple of days. His wife feels, she can now leave him at home and begin to clean houses again. She has not stopped cleaning the parish rectory, per gratis. She feels this is only right.

Their oldest son has a job at a nursing home facility and is also enrolled in courses that will allow him to graduate from community college. He has extended his work hours to the maximum to be able to pick up some of the lost family income. He had been saving to go to school to be a physical therapist after community college. Some of the monies the council spent on the family allowed him to adjust his work schedule and save for the family needs that will be coming up as our funds dry up.

The place our Brother Knight, his wife, and two children are living in is not one that you, I, or any of you board members would live in. It is an “extra” old structure on a farm where he worked at. They have piled heaps of stored material, that was originally from floor to ceiling, outdoors so they could occupy the “house”. They have stopped all water and air leaks, and are happy to live here in America. After Brother C’s fall, the Council re-walled a couple of rooms, threw out more debris, painted walls, leveled floors, laid linoleum, and built entry and egress ramps. With Brother C now able to use a walker, the house will be easier for him to negotiate than when he was in a wheelchair. He can now shower alone, and get himself a simple meal. He still can’t cook, but only because it was never one of his household jobs. His wife feels she can either fix him something for him before she leaves for work or he can open a can. He won’t stare until she gets home. Some things the Knights can’t fix.

All in all, the grant has gotten the family through the toughest time in dealing with his injuries. The family not only has the hope and the will to get through this, they have faith. After visiting Brother C and his wife earlier today, I ran into their son and daughter at the local Goodwill store. They were picking out a shirt and blouse for Easter Sunday. Both were optimistic about the family, and their son, a newly inducted First Degree Knight, was very grateful for the help we gave his family. He is still amazed that we supplied so much financial help and manpower when they needed it most. Two other Hispanic men, who know Brother C well, have applied for admission to our Council. They have recognized our devotion to brothers and their families.

Your generosity has gotten his family over a bridge in their lives, and has increased interest in the KofC within our congregation. Even our Pastor was surprised by the charity of the Knights. Well done, gentlemen, and thank you. From here on it will be our Council’s responsibility to make sure Brother C and his family are able to make it!

Vivat Jesus!
(Name)

VKCCI,

Thank you for your generous donation to the (name) fund. Your donation will enable the much needed repairs to her house to prevent it from being condemned.

Thank you.
(Name)

Worthy Brother,

Our Council did a Lenten Fish Fry dinner to benefit VKCCI to thank you for the two grants you have recently granted our council, one for (name) in 2015 and one for (name) in 2016.

Please continue helping families in need. We appreciate all that you do to help our community.

Thanks, again,
(Name)

Dear VKCCI Vice President for Grants,

It has taken me too long to contact VKCCI. On behalf of the entire family, I want to humbly express thanks and appreciation to VKCCI. The approved grant made a significant impact on our ability to address the financial challenges we experienced during my recovery period from last summer’s emergency hospitalization.

The thoughts, prayers, and assistance have been a great blessing to us. My hospitalization was very serious and almost fatal. It took a toll on our family personally and financially. The post-hospitalization recovery was a slow process but went very well. It tested my patience. I needed to just be still. Dialysis lasted a few weeks. Currently, the kidney is fully functioning, and I feel good. There has been a lot of support for us and I’m truly grateful. As we approach the Advent and Christmas seasons, I lift-up in prayer all the good works of VKCCI. Again, please accept my thanks and appreciation.

Blessings,
[Name withheld]