Catholic Charities presents honors at annual gala

Posted April 06, 2015 11:00 pm

Sue Geegan, second from left, of Holy Family Parish received the Heart of Charity Award at Catholic Charities' 26th Annual Hearts for Homeless Families Dinner and Auction. With her are Monsignor Michael Boland, president of Catholic Charities; Mike Waters, Northwest Region director; and Fr. Terry Keehan, pastor of Holy Family Parish. Courtesy of Catholic Charities

Submitted by Catholic Charities

Three individuals and organizations from the Northwest Suburbs were honored by Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Chicago at the 26th Annual Hearts for Homeless Families Dinner and Auction recently at Chevy Chase Country Club in Wheeling.

About 200 people attended the event, which raised nearly $56,000 for Catholic Charities programs that serve the homeless in the Northwest suburbs.

Sue Geegan of Holy Family Parish in Inverness received the Heart of Charity Award, which is presented annually to an individual who demonstrates a strong commitment to the service of others. Geegan is a member of Catholic Charities' Parish Outreach Committee and serves as the ambassador between the agency's Northwest Regional Services and parishes in the Northwest suburbs.

St. Anne Parish in Barrington received the Parish Partner Award in recognition of its strong and longtime support of Catholic Charities' Northwest Regional Services. Through its Hope Ministries, St. Anne has been a generous supporter of Catholic Charities' Hearts for Homeless Families event. The parish also is a regular contributor to the Catholic Charities food pantry and clothing room in Des Plaines.

The Michael Joseph Foundation, based in Barrington, was presented with the Community Spirit Award, which recognizes a foundation, organization or business that makes it part of its mission to help the poor and make a better society for all. The foundation supports organizations such as Catholic Charities that provide housing for families in need, and the counseling and support needed to help them toward self-sufficiency. The foundation has been a steady supporter of Catholic Charities' New Hope Apartments Program since 2000.

Catholic Charities' New Hope Apartments Program provides transitional and permanent housing for homeless families with dependent children up to the age of 18. The goal of the program is provide clients with housing while they follow an individual plan to self-sufficiency.

The New Hope program is one of many Catholic Charities programs serving the homeless in the Northwest suburbs. The agency serves more than 1 million people a year in Cook and Lake counties, regardless of religious affiliation.

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From left, Monsignor Michael Boland and Mike Waters of Catholic Charities present the Parish Partner Award to Peggy Sobolewski, Diane Barrett, Marie Jochum and Fr. Bernie Pietrzak of St. Anne Parish in Barrington at the 26th Annual Hearts for Homeless Families Dinner and Auction. Courtesy of Catholic Charities

Ida Cardelli of the Michael Joseph Foundation, center, accepts the Community Spirit Award on behalf of the foundation from Monsignor Michael Boland and Mike Waters. Courtesy of Catholic Charities

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