The intent of the Persons with Intellectually Disabilities (PID) Drive is that the monies are be used to specifically and explicitly benefit individuals who have Intellectual Disabilities.
 
Any organization, group or institution (generally not individuals) that provide services to individuals with intellectual disabilities is eligible to receive donations from collected PID monies.

Council's must be certain the recipients of local funds especially those entities that serve multiple groups of people (for example both physically and intellectually disabled) are clear that the monies are to be used for the specific purpose of  directly or indirectly benefiting persons with Intellectual Disabilities and not just added to the organization's general fund.

The First, State-Wide Mentally Retarded Drive

As already mentioned, planning for two important events of 1974-75 began the previous year. The most significant event was the first statewide Mentally Retarded Drive, known to many as the Tootsie Roll Drive and perhaps more strongly linked to the Knights in the public mind than any other activity. The program places Knights wearing bright yellow aprons in public places, trading Tootsie Rolls for contributions. The proceeds go to programs, which benefit the mentally retarded, with councils keeping 90 percent for local programs and sending ten percent to the state for disbursement as the State Council sees fit. The first drive was held in August 1974, with a goal of $100,000; the Knights surpassed the goal by $62,180. Past State Deputy and State Master of the Fourth Degree James R. Baldridge served as general chairman of the event. Knights had many different experiences and ways of promoting the first drive. In Council Bluffs the lectors at Mass wore the yellow aprons prior to the drive. In Cedar Rapids, the El Kahir Shrine furnished its orchestra during the drive. State Chaplain Father Conrad bought a brick for a new Masonic temple in return for a donation. A nine-year-old boy inEmmetsburg asked if his allowance of $1 .OO a week was enough to give, and an enterprising Knight in Waterloo rushed in to a tavern and collected $18.00 while waiting at a crossing for a train.

The Iowa Knights Sponsor the Iowa Special Olympics During 1975-76 the State Council sponsored the Iowa Special Olympics, a sponsorship which still continues. The second Mentally Retarded Drive netted a total of $185,929, an increase of 14.6 percent over the first year . The Iowa Special Olympics had been sponsored by the Iowa Association for Retarded Citizens since 1970, but in 7976 the ARC decided it could no longer provide the needed financial support. The games were in jeopardy until the Knights of Columbus donated $13,000 from the state portion of the proceeds. State Deputy Frank Wilder attended the games on May 11, 1976, and he told the delegates at the state meeting in Burlington about his experience there: “As it was explained at the games, not only t o everyone in attendance, but to the governor and other state dignitaries, without help of the Knights, the program would not have been held. People came upto me, grabbed my hand, and with tears in their eyes said, 'God bless the Knights of Columbus. This is what it isall about. 'The Iowa Knights were given a position on the governing board of Iowa Special Olympics, Inc., a non-profit group established to organize the games each year. State Deputy Wilder put Past State Deputy and former president of the Davenport United Way campaign Ed Lehner in the position. State Master Jim Baldridge asked to be relieved of his duties as chairman of the Mentally Retarded Drive, and State Deputy Wilder volunteered to replace him at the expiration of his term.

Support for the Mentally Retarded Increased through a contract for Mailing ''The Knight Today” The Mentally Retarded Drive netted $201.000. and the State Council gave $12,000 of its ten percent to the Iowa Special Olympics. State Newspaper Editor John Plunkett increased the State Council's support of the mentally retarded when he gave Iowa Central Rehabilitation Industries the contract for addressing and mailing 'The Knight Today."Iowa Central Rehabilitation Industries is a transitional workshop for the purpose of serving handicapped people. In return for addressing and mailing the state newspaper the workshop received $2,000 from the State Council's portion of Tootsie Roll proceeds.

In addition, the four Cedar Rapids councils joined in the formation of Discovery Village, Inc., a non-profit organization dedicated to help and care for retarded citizens and to provide housing for adult retarded citizens in the Linn County area. The formation of the group was spurred by the death of James Baldridge, first state chairman of the Mentally Retarded Drive. One of the cottages at Discovery Village was named in his honor. First officers of the corporation were President John Montpas, Secretary Larry Sharp, and Treasurer Claude Natthews. All Knights of Columbus councils were invited to donate to the cause.

The Mentally Retarded Drive Surpasses the $1 Million Mark State Deputy Robert Allen reported

to the 1980 annual meeting in Mason City that the 1979 Mentally Retarded Drive netted $222,343, making a six-year total of $1,218,425. During the year, a committee worked to find a replacement for the Tootsie Roll, wanting to strengthen theprogram's identity as the Kof C Mentally Retarded Drive rather than advertising for Tootsie Rolls. The Knights also wanted t o channel more dollars back to the retarded and to use an Iowa product. The committee came up with edible roasted soybeans, in five flavors, packaged by the North-East Iowa Goodwill Sheltered Workshop. The "pro-nut s ' were test marketed by some councils in 1980; they were not accepted very well by the public.