K of C Christian Refugee Relief Fund provides desperately needed aid
NEW HAVEN, Conn., July 24, 2015 /Christian Newswire/
-- Having already donated more than $3 million in humanitarian aid to
persecuted Christians and other religious minorities in the Middle
East, the Knights of Columbus will expand its efforts even further with
a national campaign to raise funds and foster awareness of the
terrible suffering of Christians and others in the Middle East.
The Knights will
also announce additional details of its program to aid Christian
refugees at its international convention being held August 4-6 in
Philadelphia. In attendance will be archbishops from Iraq and Syria,
where the violence against Christians has been particularly severe.
An exposé on the
deafening silence of the international community on this issue will be
explored by The New York Times Magazine in an upcoming cover story, "Is
This the End of Christianity in the Middle East?"
In the article, set
to reach newsstands this Sunday, July 26, author Eliza Oswold reports
that, "according to a Pew study, more Christians are now faced with
religious persecution than at any time since their early history."
The Knights began
its Christian Refugee Relief Fund in August 2014 with $1 million in
matching funds that was quickly met and exceeded by its members and the
public. The humanitarian assistance provided has included new housing
for those who have had to flee their homes, as well as support for
medical facilities in areas flooded with Christian and other refugees.
"Christians in the
Middle East are facing a dire situation -- and even extinction -- while
the response from the international community has woefully
inadequate," said Knights of Columbus CEO Carl Anderson. "Pope Francis
has urged the international community to take action to help Christians
in the Middle East, and as an organization that has long supported
victims of religious persecution, the Knights of Columbus is responding
by asking our own members, and the public at large, to help us save
the lives of people who are being persecuted simply because of their
Christian faith."
Those wishing to assist with the relief efforts can donate by visiting www.christiansatrisk.org
or by sending checks or money orders payable to Knights of Columbus
Charities at P.O. Box 1966, New Haven, CT 06509-1966. The memo portion
should indicate that the check is for Christian Refugee Relief.
One hundred percent
of all donations directly supports humanitarian assistance and raising
awareness for persecuted Christians and other religious minorities,
especially in the Middle East. Donations are tax deductible to the
extent allowed by law. Knights of Columbus Charities, Inc., is
recognized by the IRS as a charitable organization under section 501(c)3
of the Internal Revenue Code.
The K of C has a
long history of providing humanitarian relief and has done so following
the 9/11 terrorist attacks; the 2013 typhoons in the Philippines;
hurricanes Katrina and Sandy; nationwide tornadoes; flooding in Mexico;
and tsunamis in Indonesia and Japan.
In the area of
support for victims of religious persecution, the Knights provided
humanitarian assistance and created international awareness of the
persecution of the Catholic Church in Mexico throughout the 1920s.
The Knights of
Columbus is the world's largest Catholic fraternal organization with
nearly 1.9 million members worldwide. One of the most active charitable
organizations in the United States, the Knights of Columbus donated
more than $173.5 million and 71.5 million hours of service in 2014.
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