365 Club CA Columbian Charities

CALIFORNIA COLUMBIAN CHARITIES/365 CLUB

At every Orange Chapter meeting we take up a collection for the 365 Club.  The money collected is presented to the charity at the state convention each May.

In 1955 the State Council created California Columbian Charities, Inc.  The charity is dedicated to assisting California Brothers in financial distress, including their widows.  For almost sixty years we have consistently worked to provide charity, the first principle of our Order, and to fulfill Father McGivney’s mandate of BROTHER HELPING BROTHER.

During the past half-century we have responded to 1930 requests for assistance from Brother Knights in California and have given over $2,800,000 in relief.  In 2017, Columbian Charities assisted 54 Brothers and their families with $140,000 in aid.  If you know of a Brother who is in need of assistance please ask his council’s Grand Knight to contact the California State Council office for Charity application forms.  See the instructions below for details.

We need your generous charitable and fraternal support to continue assisting Brothers in distress.  For the last five years donations to the charity have been much less than what is required to meet the needs of the many Brothers who are suffering because of our poor economy.

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The 365 Club and the Parade of Grand Knights are the primary means of raising funds for California Columbian Charities.  We ask that every Brother in California join the 365 Club and donate a penny a day – either by adding an additional $3.65 to their dues payment, or by a cash donation at council meetings.  The council should hold these funds until May when they can be brought to the State Convention and the Parade of Grand Knights.

If your Council is presently requesting your members to join the 365 Club, we ask you to continue to do so.  If not, we ask your Council’s Financial Secretary to introduce your members to the 365 Club by adding an additional line to the dues billing statement (including those sent to non-dues paying Honorary Members):  “365 Club – Please add a $3.65 donation to California Columbian Charities.”  This will provide every Brother in your Council an opportunity to practice charity, unity and fraternity.

All Councils, Chapters or Assemblies making a donation to our charity will receive an Award Ribbon.  We hope that 100% of the active Councils in California will contribute.

Councils who miss the convention should not overlook their donation.  Every Council is asked to donate and very Brother is also encouraged to make a personal contribution.  Checks or cash may be delivered at the “Parade” or mailed to this address.

California Columbian Charities, Inc.,  P.O. Box 4256,  Cerritos, CA  90703

If a council misses the convention it should not overlook its donation.  Please mail all council and personal checks (payable to Californian Columbian Charities) to the above address.  The donations can be sent at any time.

Although the 365 Club and Parade of Grand Knights involve only one donation a year at the State Convention, further donations are appreciated by Columbian Charities and by your Brothers in distress.

INSTRUCTIONS FOR GRAND KNIGHTS.  HOW TO APPLY FOR FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE. 

Who is eligible to obtain assistance?  Any member of a California Council with at least twelve months good standing who is in need of temporary assistance, and the widows and orphans of such members. 

How can California Columbian Charities help a Brother in need of assistance?  By helping to relieve financial distress due to unemployment, sickness, family medical and hospital bills, overdue rent or mortgage payments, property tax, food, clothing, losses due to fire, flood or earthquake. 

What is the first step to obtain aid for a Brother?  If you know of a Brother who is in need of assistance please notify his council’s Grand Knight. Only the Grand Knight can obtain an application from the California State Council Office:

15808 Arrow Blvd., Suite A,  Fontana, CA  92335-3246

(909) 434-0460,    state.office@californiaknights.org 

What are the duties of the Investigator?

The Investigator calls on the Brother who requires assistance, investigates his problem, fills out the application, answers all the applicable questions and obtains the applicant’s signature. He drafts a letter explaining in detail the financial condition of the distressed Brother and family. Upon completion of the investigation, he files the letter and application with the Grand Knight of the Council for review and signature of the Financial Secretary and Grand Knight. 

What are the Grand Knight’s and Financial Secretary’s obligations?  The Grand Knight and Financial Secretary of the Council must determine that the application is meritorious and affix their signatures to the form before sending the application to the Charity. 

Should the Grand Knight bring an applicant’s request to the Council for approval?  NO! ALL INFORMATION received by the Grand Knight is strictly confidential and should be forwarded to the President of Columbian Charities for processing.  However, the Grand Knight and his Council should consider assisting the needy applicant themselves. 

How long must an applicant wait before assistance is available  That depends upon how quickly the investigation takes place and how quickly the Council’s Grand Knight forwards the application to Columbian Charities. After that, it is only a matter of a few days. 

Must an applicant re-pay the money to Columbian Charities  NO! All financial assistance provided is a grant. 

If the grant is approved, the check is made out to the Council NOT the applicant.  The Council must NOT write a check to the applicant.  The Council writes checks to those owed financial obligations.

How is the money obtained for these grants  Through the generosity of California Councils and individual Brothers, and from special events sponsored by Council charity committees, and through bequests. Every member is asked to join the 365 Club and contribute at least one penny a day.  The Charity carries out BROTHER HELPING BROTHER.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT THE GRANT APPLICATION:

► All forms should be completely filled out in duplicate – keep a copy for reference.

► Fill-out the Contact Form so that we can communicate with you.

► Make sure that the Grand Knight’s phone number is on the form.

► The application package contains detailed instructions.

► All applications are subject to review by the screening committee.

► The committee reserves the right to reject, approve, set limits, and set conditions on any and all applications.

Mail the application to:

CALIFORNIA COLUMBIAN CHARITIES, INC.

PO Box 4256

CERRITOS, CA  90703