Mar Toma Council

Mar Toma Council is a council of the Knights of Columbus located in San Diego, California. Designated as Council 10981, it primarily serves the local Chaldean community through various charitable activities and community service projects.

International Service Award
In 2014, following the takeover of Mosul and surrounding areas in the Nineveh Plains by ISIS, the Mar Toma Council mobilized to support the affected Christian communities. They organized a significant fundraising and prayer event at St. Peter's Chaldean Catholic Cathedral, raising $650,000 in aid. The funds were distributed among Christian refugees in Iraq, Turkey, and through the Adopt a Refugee Family Program in Lebanon.

The exceptional efforts of the council were recognized in 2015 when they received the International Service Award at the Knights of Columbus International Convention in Philadelphia. This accolade was awarded for their impactful community project, which supported Christians in Iraq and Syria.

Community engagement
The council also hosts an annual Food Festival and Business Fair. The Seventh annual event, held on May 25, 2018, featured vendors and attracted more than 1,500 attendees. This event supported community engagement and raised funds for local projects, such as the construction of the new St. John the Apostle Chaldean Catholic Church in El Cajon.