By Mark Main
Thrift Store Manager,
Catholic Social Services of Southern Nebraska
In 2001, my family decided to go out to dinner at Pizza Hut. As we were pulling up, we ran into an acquaintance of ours from church, Lou Gasper. He asked me if I was a Knight (Knights of Columbus, or KofC). I told him I wasn’t. He proceeded to ask me to join the organization. After a few weeks, I said yes. Little did I know, it was one of the best decisions I would ever make.
Now, fast forward to the year 2016, after some difficult years and the loss of a job. In interviews with Catholic Social Services of Southern Nebraska (CSS), I believe God spoke to me and I said, “For the last 30 years, I have been working for ‘the man.’” I pointed to the crucifix on the wall and said, “that is the Man I want to work for.”
I didn’t know at the time how much my second family of the Knights of Columbus was involved with CSS. I would soon find out how my own parish and the Knights were very involved in volunteering and helping at my new job.
The year I started at CSS in Lincoln, Nebraska’s KofC contacted the head of CSS to have a giveaway of coats for kids. With the help of the local Lincoln Knights Councils, that year we helped give away more than 800 coats to children who needed new coats. This program has continued ever since.
This year, the eighth annual event, gave away more than 500 coats. The following councils have helped every year: St. Mary in Davey; and St. Mary, Blessed Sacrament, St. Francis, St. Patrick, Sacred Heart, St. Joseph, Cathedral of the Risen Christ, and St. Michael in Lincoln.
Another Knights program that has helped CSS is the St. John’s (Lincoln) Sandwich Program. These gentlemen have been coming in every other week to make sandwiches to be given away to the hungry for more than 20 years. Last year, the council made 9,338 sandwiches, which included more than 520 volunteer hours and 900 loaves of bread.
A few years ago, CSS started the Donation Collection Program that allows the councils to help collect clothing and other items that can be used at the store or baled for bulk recycling (part of the CSS Regift, Resell, Recycle process). The bales are then sold and the council gets a profit return. This is a great program that helps the sustainability of our environment. This program has also been extended to other parishes.
A few years ago, the St. Patrick’s Msgr. David R. Hintz Council started a program to help collect food for CSS called the “Walk to End Hunger.” Originally, it was started with the four councils in north Lincoln – St. Patrick, North American Martyrs, Sacred Heart, and St. John. Now in the fourth year, they have since expanded to all the councils in the Lincoln area.
In May through August 2024, the event collected 18,646 pounds of food and $28,923.71 in monetary donations to help those people who need food in the city of Lincoln.
Charity according to Jesus: “My command is this, love each other as I have loved you.” CSS has followed Jesus’s command for many years. The Nebraska Knights of Columbus has the same value system. Both organizations do everything they can to help those in need. All it takes is to volunteer for CSS so you too can have the great feeling that these volunteers feel every day.
If you have any questions about volunteering, you can submit an application at csshope.org/volunteer. For questions about the Knights, you can view educational resources and apply to become a member at nebraskakofc.org/membership.
