Super sleuths raise close to $120,000 for the homeless
Super sleuths were everywhere at the 24th annual Catholic Charities Hearts for Homeless Families “The Derby Whodunit,” on May 4. The intriguing murder mystery, performed by the TesserAct Theatre Ensemble, brought out the best Sherlock Holmes wannabes.
The event was cloaked with atmosphere courtesy of the Sanfilippo Estate in Barrington Hills. Guests, “called to post” by bugler Joe Brottman of Palatine, enjoyed the murder mystery performance surrounded by an 1890 European salon carousel; an 1881 Grant Locomotive; a Joseph Mayer cast-iron street clock, and American and European fairground and dance hall organs.
In between acts, award-winning WGN’s Garry Meier hosted the evening’s auctions and dinner, which included derby favorites such as fried green tomatoes, mint juleps, pecan pie and cornbread.
Winners, who donned their most outlandish derby haberdashery to take the “Hat-i-tude Contest” title, generously donated back their prizes. Those monies added to a record breaking net of close to $120,000 for the Catholic Charities New Hope Apartments.
Catholic Charities New Hope Apartments program provides transitional and permanent supportive housing for homeless families with dependent children up to the age of 18 years. The program consists of 18 apartments located in Des Plaines, Glenview, Arlington Heights, Schaumburg, Hoffman Estates, Elk Grove Village, Mount Prospect, Rolling Meadows, Evanston, and Skokie. It is the goal of the New Hope Apartments program to provide clients with housing, while they follow an individualized plan toward self-sufficiency.
During the program, clients are referred to employment and educational training. Money management skills are addressed through monthly savings, budgeting, and debt reduction groups. Psychological barriers to self-sufficiency are addressed through monthly support groups, clinical case management, and/or access to individual counseling. Through this combination of housing and supportive services, New Hope Apartments staff members strongly encourage participants to address any educational barriers to job success, build strong community relationships, raise healthy children, and participate in the program fully in order to overcome any future challenges.
If you were unable to attend the May event, but would still like to help the homeless, donations may be made by calling Mary Insprucker, Catholic Charities Northwest Regional director, at (847) 376-2118.
Catholic Charities Northwest Region Office is at 1717 Rand Road, in Des Plaines. The office serves the communities of: Barrington, Bartlett, Hanover Park, Dundee, Palatine, Inverness, Rolling Meadows, Arlington Heights, Buffalo Grove, Prospect Heights, Wheeling, Mount Prospect, Des Plaines, Harwood Heights, Schiller Park, Franklin Park, Elgin, Elk Grove Village, Schaumburg, Hoffman Estates, Streamwood.
For information about the Northwest Region Office, call (847) 376-2100.
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