Special thank you notes were written by the refugee youth students for all to see.

On Friday,  March 30 nearly one hundred of the Distict’s volunteers gathered at St. John the Evangelist’s Calusssen Center for a luncheon and ceremony to honor their combined totals odf thousands of hours of service to Catholic Charities’ clients from throughout the county. They included students from St. John Nuemann who serve as tutors for our refugee youth, to our Food Pantry vounteers from Guadalupe Social Services and our Family Resource Center, our volunteers caseworkers, Board members, Emerald Ball committee members, tutors and other service volunteers. 1,000 hour recipients included: Joe and Judy Sullivan, Jim Kean, Bill and Rosemary O’Connell, Dick and Barbara Mack, carol Meli, Lew and Barbar Schmidt, Elaine Stanley and Jerry Thirion. Special Recognition was given to long time Guadalupe volunteer Jin Miller as well.

Nearly 100 of our volunteers gathered for the luncheon at Calussen Family Center

We gratefully receive our check

The Naples Childrens Foundation, which sponsors the annual Naples Winter Wine Festival that attracts vintners and celebrity chefs from around the country, awarded $7.4 million to charities that focus on at-risk and underprivileged youth at the March 26th Announcement Event held at the Old Collier Golf Club.

Gratitude and celebration were the themes as leaders of charity after charity stepped onto the stage to accept their check. We were proud to be among the recipients.

The Festival has raised $107 million and has helped 150,000 children through 37 charities and through its own initiatives such as a children’s dental clinic and mental health services.

Our grant will guarantee continued NCEF funding of bilingual counseling services for abused, neglected and behaviorally impaired three to eight year old children. Approximately 50% of the children served are Hispanic and come from families with limited income. Our licensed clinical psychologist, Dr. Marta Gallegos Adkins, primarily treats this population. Referrals for services originate from multiple sources including; local pediatricians, Children’s Advocacy Center, Collier Health Services, Children’s Medical Services, day care centers and pre-school providers.

Additionally, Catholic Charities will be able to continue to support a full time salaried licensed clinician, Ms. Kristen Nelson, to provide sexual abuse treatment services at Children’s Advocacy Center locations in Naples and Immokalee. The Sexual Abuse Treatment Program provides specialized, family centered treatment to abused children and adversely affected siblings, ages three through eighteen, to prevent developmental impairment.

Live auction offerings included Bishop Dewane as guest of honor at a special occasion or dinner, a week in a five bedroom villa in Provence, France, Six Nights for 2 Couples at the Vineyard Hideaway on The Estate of Benovia Winery, a trip for two to Ireland, and a three year lease on a 2012 Smart Passion Coupe from Mercedes-Benz of Naples. Bidding for a week aboard the luxury liner, The World, was lively and an additional trip was donated that evening so that two buyers were able to purchase it for $20,000 each.

“We are thankful for the generous support of our sponsors, donors and attendees,” said Ruth Smith, 2012 Emerald Ball Committee Co-chair. “We are also indebted to our dedicated committee and volunteers who help make this event a success. Catholic Charities supports families facing hardships in Collier County. The proceeds from The Emerald Ball ensure they get the help they need to weather temporary challenges or improve their lives.”

The George & Theresa Corbett Foundation, Mr. & Mrs. Richard Mack and Leslie Magin were the lead sponsors for the event. Other supporters of the event included Ambassador Francis & Mrs. Kathleen Rooney, Mr. & Mrs. William Byrnes, St. Ann Parish, Wells Fargo Bank N.A, Northern Trust and St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church. In-Kind Sponsors were Mercedes-Benz of Naples, The Naples Daily News and Naples Illustrated.

About Catholic Charities
The mission of Catholic Charities, Diocese of Venice, Inc., is to fight poverty, strengthen families and build communities. Agency services and programs shall ensure human dignity and enhance the quality of life for all persons regardless of race, creed, color or religious affiliation. The populations served are at or below the poverty level as determined by current Federal Standards which includes individuals, couples, children, families, single parents, non-custodial families, refugees, migrant farm workers, and many others in need of specific assistance.

Part of the Diocese of Venice, Inc., Catholic Charities of Collier County is a not-for-profit corporation duly incorporated in the State of Florida. The Diocese serves 10 counties in Southwest Florida, including Collier, Manatee, Hardee, Highlands, Sarasota, DeSoto, Glades, Charlotte, Lee, and Hendry counties. For more information, call (239) 455-2655, or visit www.catholiccharitiesCC.org.

Our Evening's piper helped assemble the guests

This year’s Catholic Charities’ Emerald Ball, held on March 17 at The Ritz Carlton – Tiburon raised $250,000 (net, after expenses).   This signature annual event is the charity’s largest fundraiser to support the mission of Catholic Charities benefiting individuals and families in need of social and human services in Collier County.

This year’s live auction offerings included Bishop Dewane as guest of honor at a special occasion or dinner, a week in a five bedroom villa in Provence, France, Six Nights for 2 Couples at the Vineyard Hideaway on The Estate of Benovia  Winery, a trip for two to Ireland,  and a three year lease on a 2012 Smart Passion Coupe from Mercedes-Benz of Naples.   Bidding for a week aboard the luxury liner, The World, was lively and an additional trip was donated that evening so that two buyers were able to purchase it for $20,000 each.

“We are grateful for the support of our sponsors, donors and attendees,” said Ruth Smith, 2012 Emerald Ball Committee Co-chair.  “Catholic Charities supports families facing hardships in Collier County.  The proceeds from The Emerald Ball ensure they get the help they need to weather temporary challenges or improve their lives.”

The George & Theresa Corbett Foundation, Mr. & Mrs. Richard Mack and Leslie Magin were the lead sponsors for the event.   Other supporters of the event included Ambassador Francis & Mrs. Kathleen Rooney, Mr. & Mrs. William Byrnes, St. Ann Parish, Wells Fargo Bank N.A. and St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church.  In-Kind Sponsors were Mercedes-Benz of Naples, The Naples Daily News and Naples Illustrated.

Elaine Stanley, Advisory Board Chair welcomes the guests

Barbara and Dick Mack, the 2012 James McTague Humanitarians of the Year

Barbara and Dick Mack have been essential to the growth and stability of Catholic Charities as well as the Catholic Charities Foundation.  Soon to celebrate their 54^th wedding anniversary, they are quick to cite their indebtedness to Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Boston, from whom they adopted their four children, two boys and two girls. Today they enjoy eight grandchildren.

Dick, a CPA by profession was born and raised in the Boston area, and graduated from Northeastern University.  Barbara is originally from Philadelphia, and graduated from Trinity College, Washington DC. They both spent twenty five active volunteer years in Groton, MA, including Dick’s service on the Board of Trustees of the Nashoba Community Hospital, the Board of Lawrence Academy, and several local municipal committees.  Barbara taught CCD in their local parish, and ran the Reading is Fundamental program for the local public school system.  Dick retired in 1985 from his position of Chief Financial Officer of New England Business Service, of Groton.

Fortunately, for our community, they made Naples their permanent home in 1986, and never looked back.  They joined St. William’s Parish and the each brought their love of community and appreciation of the mission of Catholic Charities with them.  Soon after their arrival, Barbara became a volunteer at the Catholic Charities Food Pantry and she has never stopped!   You can find her preparing family grocery bags or assembling food bundles for our “backpack” program once or twice a week and nearly every day during the Thanksgiving and Christmas season.

If she weren’t busy enough, Barbara took over the public relations duties for the Emerald Ball in the mid 90’s and has continued her work as an active Ball committee member.  She continued with her dedication to literacy by joining the tutoring team for the Refugee Youth Program and later she became active as a tutor for School on Wheels, the Catholic Charities literacy program for women in Naples.  Barbara has also been active as often as twice a week with the Literacy Council as a literacy volunteer.

Dick joined the Catholic Charities District’s Advisory Board in 1999.  His dedication, skills and talents were readily apparent, and he joined the Catholic Charities Diocesan Board where he served two consecutive terms from 2000 to 2006.  He is a founding member of the Catholic Charities Foundation Board where he is currently serving as Secretary, a post he filled after serving as Treasurer.  He is completing his eleventh year on the Foundation Board.  In 2009, Dick and Barbara traveled to Haiti as supporters of Hope for Haiti and in that same year were invested into the Order of Malta.

In retirement, they spend their summers in Sunapee NH.  They have also traveled extensively, including an Order of Malta Pilgrimage to Lourdes in 2010.

The volunteers and staff of Catholic Charities of Collier County, District III will forever be indebted to Dick and Barbara the 2012 James McTague Humanitarian Awardees.

Starling has been serving as a director of the Collier County Bar Association since 2009 and actively participates in various committees with the CCBA, including the Technology Committee, Law Week Committee, and Law Library Committee.  Beginning in 2004, Starling was elected to a position as Director of the Collier County Women’s Bar Association and served as President of the CCWBA from 2008-2009. Further, Starling was elected for a four year term (2008-2008) as a representative from the 20^th Judicial Circuit on the Florida Bar Young Lawyers Division Board of Governors.  In addition, Starling served as a Trustee with Youth Haven from 2005-2011. 

Starling lives in Naples with her husband, Craig, and their two daughters, Madeline and Beatrice.

Ave Maria Law students enjoyed thier “Day of Gratitude”

Dozens of Ave Maria Law students provided Catholic Charities with their “Day of Gratitude”. Teams deployed to either our Family Resource Center in East Naples or Guadalupe Social Services in Immokalee.

Knights and Dames of Malta Made Light Work of the Backpack Prep

We have been notified that Catholic Charities of Collier County will be the beneficiary of a 2012-2013 League Club Grant to support the Weekend Backpack Program. The program serves “homeless” children attending MIke Davis Elementary School in Golden Gate. The children’s backpacks are filled with food that children take home on weekends

• Food is child-friendly, nonperishable and easily consumed.
• Backpacks are discreetly distributed to children on the last day before the weekend or holiday vacation

The BackPack Concept

The BackPack Program concept was developed at the Arkansas Rice Depot, after a school nurse asked for help because hungry students were coming to her with stomachaches and dizziness. The local food bank began to provide the school children with groceries in non-descript backpacks to carry home.

In addition to providing nutritious food to school children in need, some BackPack Programs provide extra food for younger siblings at home and others operate during the summer months when children are out of school and have limited access to free or reduced-priced meals.

• The BackPack Program became a pilot program in 1995.  The National Council of Feeding America approved the BackPack Program as an official national program of the Network in July 2006.
• More than 140 Feeding America members operated more than 3,600 BackPack Programs and served more than 190,000 children in FY2009. The Knights and Dames of Malta assist us in packaging, etc.  The meals were assembled, packaged and placed in backpacks and distributed to the one hundred children selected on Fridays by the Guidance Department.

 Thanks to the generosity of John and Sue Morrison our 2012 Emerald Ball Patrons enjoyed a festive evening on Thursday evening, March 7. Ninety three guests were treated to gracious hospitality, a tropical full moon and the warmth of friendship.

We are most grateful to our hosts.

Based on the most recent information available and using our new, two dimensional rating system (CN 2.0) we have issued a new rating for your organization. We are proud to announce Catholic Charities, Diocese of Venice, Inc. has earned our third consecutive 4-star rating. Receiving four out of a possible four stars indicates that your organization adheres to good governance and other best practices that minimize the chance of unethical activities and consistently executes its mission in a fiscally responsible way. Only 9% of the charities we rate have received at least 3 consecutive 4-star evaluations, indicating that Catholic Charities, Diocese of Venice, Inc. outperforms most other charities in America. This “exceptional” designation from Charity Navigator differentiates Catholic Charities, Diocese of Venice, Inc. from its peers and demonstrates to the public it is worthy of their trust.

Visit www.charitynavigator.org for more information.