NEW HAVEN, Connecticut, JUNE 12, 2009 (Zenit.org).- The Knights of Columbus set new records for charitable donations and volunteer service hours last year, despite the economic crisis.
Today, Supreme Knight Carl Anderson, also a ZENIT weekly columnist, released the information of the past year's activities in a meeting at the group's international headquarters.
He reported that charitable contributions by the knights amounted to over $150 million, which is $5.1 million higher than the previous year.
The data, compiled from an annual survey of all the local chapters, showed some 68.8 million volunteer service hours by knights to charitable causes.
The organization noted some 413,000 blood donations collected by the knights, and 156,295 service hours given specifically to Habitat for Humanity.
The Knights of Columbus has some 1.75 million members in North and Central America, the Philippines, Guam, the Caribbean islands and Poland. It was started in 1882 by the Servant of God, Father Michael McGivney.
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