Knights of Columbus donates record amount to charities

Brian Greathouse and Sam Mattoni are on Tootsie Roll duty for the Knights of Columbus Ponce De Leon 8074. The candy drive is one of their most popular and successful fundraisers. COURTESY PHOTO

How do you raise over $100,000 for charity?

For the Knights of Columbus Ponce de Leon 8074, the answer involves a whole lot of meatballs and Tootsie Rolls.

The Punta Gorda-based fraternal and service organization recently awarded a record amount of contributions to more than a dozen Charlotte County charities.

Many of these charities have been supported by the Knights for years, while others, like Jesus Loves You Ministry, received their first donation from the club this year.

Jesus Loves You is a nonprofit organization based in Port Charlotte that provides a mobile food pantry and other outreach services to the homeless. It gets no government funding.

“We survive 100% from donations in the community,” said Executive Director Ashley Brantley. “That’s why gifts that we receive from organizations like the Knights of Columbus are so critical for helping the individuals who come to us for assistance.”

Jesus Loves You Ministry board member Sheri Anderrsen and Executive Director Ashley Brantley accept a $1,000 donation from the Knights of Columbus Ponce De Leon 8074 at its recent awards banquet. COURTESY PHOTOS

The ministry received $1,000. Brantley said they were considered by the Knights after a member donated some items at their thrift shop and learned more about what they do.

Brantley said the money will help them continue offering their mobile shower trailer at four sites throughout the county every week.

“It goes a long way,” she said.

The ministry has seen a growing need for its services in the last few years.

“There’s 100% more need,” Brantley said. “Starting with COVID and then with Hurricane Ian, we’re seeing a lot of people ending up homeless for the first time.”

Ed Kelly, the Knights’ newly installed Grand Knight, said he and his siblings grew up “poor as church mouses” in Massachusetts, so he understands living with need.

“There are a lot of people out there in dire straits,” he said. “The inflation is hurting everyone’s pocketbooks.”

The club this year gave $112,000 to local charities. Usually, they give around $70,000.

Kelly said they had some very generous donors this year from Sacred Heart Catholic Church, which sponsors the organization. (He also credits prior Grand Knight Michael Fox with spearheading fundraising efforts.)

Also, they began holding spaghetti and-meatball dinners in addition to the usual pancake breakfasts, fish fries and raffles.

But their most popular fundraiser was their Tootsie Roll drive, according to Jim Kantor, the Knights’ social media manager.

Knights go out to Publix, Walmart and Winn-Dixie markets in the area and give out free Tootsie Rolls. No one is asked for money, but if people are inclined to donate, they are welcome to do so.

“It’s not unusual to make $800 to $1,000 a day,” Kantor said.

In addition to gathering turkeys to feed the hungry at Thanksgiving, they’ve also held a “baby bottle drive” to raise money for unwed mothers and donated five ultrasound machines to pregnancy care centers in the area.

At the Knights’ recent banquet, the organizations that received donations ranged from local education and community clinics to veterans and affordable housing.

These charities received donations from the Knights of Columbus this year:

• Wreaths Across America ($1,000) honors the military by placing wreaths on the graves of veterans.

• The Virginia B. Andes Clinic ($5,500) is the largest free clinic in the area. Knight Tom Ferrara founded it as a surplus medical dispensary for the poor.

• Southwest Florida Honor Flight ($2,325) brings veterans to Washington, D.C., to tour the nation’s war memorials.

• Charlotte County Special Olympics ($3,000) provides sports training and competition for people with intellectual disabilities.

• St. Vincent de Paul Regional Seminary ($5,000) is a Roman Catholic education facility in Boynton Beach.

• St. Vincent de Paul, Sacred Heart Conference ($1,500) offers assistance to those in need.

• St. Mary Academy ($13,000) is a Catholic school in Sarasota.

• St. Charles Borromeo School ($8,000) serves Catholic students from kindergarten through eighth grade.

• Pregnancy Solutions ($3,000) provides services to pregnant mothers, newborns and new parents.

• Loveland Center ($9,000) provides life-skill development programs and other training to people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

• Kaden’s Cause ($1,500) helps families who have lost a child with memorial related costs.

• Jesus Loves You Ministry ($1,000) helps the homeless as well as people dealing with substance abuse and mental health issues.

• The Charlotte County Homeless Coalition ($6,500) assists the homeless with shelter and meals.

• Crossroads Hope Academy ($4,500) is a foster facility for boys.

• Charlotte Harbor School ($6,000) is a public school for students with mental, physical and emotional challenges.

• The Arcadia Housing Authority ($2,000) provides affordable housing assistance in DeSoto County.

• American Wheelchair Initiative ($1,500) provides free wheelchairs to the disabled.

• Douglas T. Jacobson State Veterans’ Nursing Home ($1,000) is a veterans nursing home in Port Charlotte.

“There’s not an issue in our community they didn’t touch with what they gave out,” Brantley said. “It’s pretty spectacular.” ¦

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