Grant and Funding Programs Offered by Knights of Columbus Sheptytsky Council 5079

Knights of Columbus Sheptytsky Council 5079 is a Catholic fraternal council serving parishes and communities in the Greater Toronto Area. Rooted in the Knights’ core principles of charity, unity, fraternity and patriotism, the council mobilizes local members to raise funds and channel financial support to churches, ministries and community initiatives. Since receiving its charter in January 1961, the council has donated more than $1.4 million to charitable causes, including local parishes, education programs, religious vocations, youth programs and wider community organizations.

The council’s funding activity is largely discretionary and project-driven. Members organize events such as memorial services, a charity golf tournament, Sviat Vechir (Christmas Eve dinner), Malanka (New Year’s Eve dance), spiritual retreats and other social gatherings. Proceeds from these activities, along with member contributions, are distributed to Catholic churches, long-term care facilities, senior residences and a range of pro-life and community organizations. This places the council as a small but active local grant-making and donor body within the Catholic and Ukrainian-Canadian community in Toronto.

The council focuses its support on several key groups: parish communities and clergy (bishops, priests, seminarians), religious vocations, widows and vulnerable individuals, seniors in care homes, and youth involved in education and faith-based programs. Assistance takes the form of monetary donations, sponsorship of initiatives, and organized volunteer service by council members.

Many members are of Ukrainian origin, and the council draws inspiration from its patron, Metropolitan Andrey Sheptytsky. This spiritual and cultural heritage contributes to a strong orientation toward supporting Ukrainian Catholic institutions and relief efforts, alongside broader Catholic and local community needs. By combining fundraising, direct giving and volunteer engagement, the council helps sustain liturgical life, social programs and educational opportunities in its surrounding parishes and neighbourhoods.

While the Sheptytsky Council does not present formal grant programs with structured application cycles, its mission clearly emphasizes financial assistance to those in need. Fund allocations are typically decided within the council through motions and votes at meetings open to members in good standing. This fraternal governance framework ensures that funding decisions reflect both the priorities of the Knights of Columbus and the concrete needs of partner churches, ministries and community organizations.

Through decades of sustained giving and service, Knights of Columbus Sheptytsky Council 5079 functions as a local charitable funder, channeling resources generated by its members into a variety of spiritual, educational and social works in Toronto and beyond.