After retiring in 2021, Patrick McBee began subbing as an aide at local schools in Morgan County, West Virginia. He quickly realized that many children did not have the appropriate clothes to keep them warm during the winter months. Unable to wear their coats during the school day due to security reasons, McBee had an idea to help underprivileged children stay warm — hoodies.
A member of the Knights of Columbus for over 20 years, McBee turned to his council for help bringing his idea to fruition. The council at St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Church — the only Catholic Church in Morgan Country — loved the idea and began the Hoodies from Heaven initiative, which solicits donations of new or gently used hoodies to give to children in need at local schools.
Since its launch in 2024, Hoodies from Heaven has donated over 300 hoodies to children in six local schools. Each hoodie that is given to a child in need comes with a note that says "God loves you."
McBee told EWTN News that he knew something needed to be done after speaking with the school board and found out that over 1,000 families in Morgan County "identify as needy … and that's not even counting the ones that do not go to DHHR — Department of Health and Human Resources."
McBee's wife, Judy, added that "there wasn't anything specific to help the school-aged children. There's lots of support for unwed mothers or single mothers with babies and things, but there wasn't anything for elementary, middle, and high school kids."
She added that part of the Knights' mission is to "take care of children, widows, and orphans," and "we knew that the babies were being taken care of. We saw that there were older children suffering and wanted to help them out and let them know that they're not forgotten about by God."
The married couple explained that the hoodies are handed out by teachers and bus drivers "because they're the first line of defense. … They distribute them to the kids that they see need them," Judy said.
Despite serving primarily in their local area, Hoodies from Heaven has helped others outside of their county. In September 2025, southwestern West Virginia experienced severe flooding, with many neighborhoods severely damaged or wiped out. The McBees sent over 60 hoodies and some sweatpants that were donated to the Catholic church in the area to be handed out to families in need.
The McBees agreed that they would love to "plant the seeds in other Knights of Columbus councils — to do this is so easy," Judy said.
"The people, they just come forth with their generosity … I would say very rarely has a weekend passed that Patrick and I don't go to Mass and come home with a bag or two of hoodies. It's awesome how people just step up, but we think that if this word could get out to others, then they could start their own little programs and just specifically to help the older kids who get neglected sometimes."
Patrick shared a story he was told about a little boy who received one of the hoodies. When the boy received it, he asked if he had to give it back. When the teacher told him no and that it was for him to keep, he was "elated."
"When I heard that, that broke my heart," Judy added.
Judy shared that growing up in an affluent town in New Jersey, she "was very fortunate growing up and never wanted for anything as a kid. And I come here, here I am retired, and I see what I see and it just absolutely breaks my heart, but these children here are special."
"They're very appreciative. They're not spoiled. They're not entitled. They know that they don't come from an entitled background. They're very humble. The kids here are just extraordinary, just absolutely extraordinary."
As for their hope for Hoodies from Heaven, Judy said: "If we could just make just a couple of kids happy and warm, feel that they're that valued, and then the little note that goes with them telling them that God loves them too. We hope that that brings a message to them that plants a seed that as they grow older that they'll know to rely on God, because God provides everything we need."
