More than 500 coats passed out to kids in Pajaro

More than 500 coats were passed out on Saturday at the 2nd annual coat giveaway hosted by the Church Knights of Columbus.

The organization donated the jackets to Sister Rosa Delores Rodriquez’s non-profit foundation, Casa de la Cultura Center in Pajaro. Those coats were given to kids and families in need here on the Central Coast.

The Knights of Columbus have been raising money for several months. They say they raised more than double the amount of money they were aiming for and were able to buy 1,100 coats total. Half going to local families, the other half were donated to families impacted by the North Bay fires.

“Although we asked for a sum amount of money, we got double that this year. So we’ve not only contributed in the purchase of coats and jackets for these children here, but we’ve also donated a large amount, hundreds of coats, to the children in the Napa, that were victims of the Napa fire,” says Larry Gonzales with Knights of Columbus.

Their team partnered with Columbia Sportswear who sold them the jackets at a 40% discount. Organizers say this is not only giving kids warmth this holiday season, but also gives them a sense of freedom knowing they can go outside without worrying about being cold.