LAMB Foundation

The LAMB Foundation of NC is a public 501(c)3 not-for-profit charity dedicated solely to assisting people who have intellectual disabilities within the state of North Carolina.  Each local council allocates 85% of its collections for donation to local organizations. The remaining 15% is controlled by the LAMB Foundation of NC’s Board of Directors and is given to organizations that serve people with intellectual disabilities regionally, or organizations that may not have a local Knights of Columbus council and that have a special need.  The LAMB Foundation is made up entirely of volunteers (Knights of Columbus, Special Needs Teachers and friends in the community). Some of the organizations the LAMB Foundation supports: -Exceptional Children’s Departments in schools across North Carolina (for important non-budgeted equipment, technology and activities) -Holy Angels (https://www.holyangelsnc.org/) Belmont, NC -Special Olympics of NC (https://sonc.net/) Morrisville, NC -Duke Medical Fragile X (https://fragilex.org/duke-university-medical-center/) Durham, NC Operation LAMB's story started in 1960 at the local Knights of Columbus council of William “Bill” Scott. Bill and his wife, Maureen, had two children with intellectual disabilities and experienced firsthand the desperate need to help fund facilities and organizations that care for, educate and support people like their children. Bill’s idea grew, and by 1974 he enlisted the help of fellow state officers to present his program to the local Knights of Columbus councils across North Carolina. The idea was simple: If each local council collected funds on an entirely volunteer basis, all of the money raised could go directly where it’s needed most: to institutions that care for people with intellectual disabilities. The program was unanimously approved and adopted, with Knights of Columbus across the state donning iconic yellow aprons and handing out Tootsie Rolls while raising money for Operation LAMB.  LAMB is an acronym derived from the Biblical phrase in Matthew to serve the “Least Among My Brethren.”  Today, North Carolina has 130 councils with more than 16,000 members who take to streets and storefronts at various times throughout the year, offering Tootsie Rolls to passers-by for voluntary donations.  Obviously due to COVID, we have not been able to conduct our annual Tootsie Roll drives. Operation LAMB was conceived from the very personal experience of Bill and his family and has continued to be a passionately personal cause for our members, volunteers and the individuals and families impacted by our funding.  Our fundraising is crucial so that we can support the “least among our brethren” in even more meaningful ways. Please join us.

Who We Are

The LAMB Foundation of NC is a public 501(c)3 not-for-profit charity dedicated solely to assisting people who have intellectual disabilities within the state of North Carolina. Our organization is composed entirely of volunteers and is managed and administered by Knights of Columbus Councils throughout the state. As a result, 93% of the funds we raise directly goes to programs that support people with intellectual disabilities.