The Knights of Columbus was founded in 1882 in New Haven, Connecticut by Father Michael J. McGivney as a fraternal benefit society to provide financial assistance to its members and their families. It has since grown to over 1.7 million members worldwide. The Knights of Columbus is dedicated to charity work, donating over $1.4 billion and over 600 million hours of service in the last decade alone. They provide support to churches, families in need, and charitable causes aligned with Catholic values.