Individuals and organizations that have kept the goal of serving others in need a top priority will be recognized for their good works during the 25th annual Catholic Charities Guardian Angel Dinner Dance Sept. 27.

The gala, which is Catholic Charities’ signature fundraiser event of the year, will be held from 6-11 p.m. in the Hyatt Regency, Princeton.

Reflecting on last year’s gala, during which Catholic Charities celebrated its 100th anniversary of service to those in need throughout the diocese, Marlene Lao-Collins, executive director noted that more than 500 supporters were in attendance and some $230,000 was generated.

“Our centennial celebration was a great opportunity for us to tell the story of the transforming impact Catholic Charities makes in our community for children, youth and adults. Our mission is inspired by the Gospel and I firmly believe we are the hands and feet of Jesus Christ reaching out to those most in need. It is through the generous support of our donors and volunteers that we are able to make this difference,” she said.

Receiving the Richard J. Hughes Humanitarian Award for their support of Catholic Charities and their many years of dedication to providing outreach to others in various capacities are Robert L. and Karen Tanzola of St. Catharine -St. Margaret Parish, Spring Lake.

Light of Hope Awards will be presented to individuals, parishes and organizations from throughout the four-county Diocese for their significant contributions to Catholic Charities:

Burlington County’s Wallace Loza will be recognized for his more than 10 years of volunteering with Delaware House, Westampton, which provides outreach to persons with behavioral health matters. Loza has also served on the Catholic Charities’ Burlington County board, including as chair of the board for the past three years. He has also helped with the planning of the GADD, and is involved as a volunteer with Community Services in Delanco.

Mercer County’s Norma Monaghan has been active with Catholic Charities for more than a decade, representing
St. Francis Medical Center, Trenton, on the GADD committee. As a Catholic hospital, St. Francis has a unique relationship with Catholic Charities, sharing a mission of improving the quality of life for all people.

For Monmouth County, the Light of Hope Award will be  presented to St. Catharine-St. Margaret Parish, recognizing the Spring Lake faith community support of Catholic Charities and many other outreach projects.

The Light of Hope Award recipient in Ocean County will be St. Mary Parish, Barnegat, in recognition for its many years of partnership to helping the less fortunate of the area. It was with the support of the services that Catholic Charities provides to the community that the parish was able to expand its current assistance programs and even begin some new programs.

In addition to the Light of Hope Awards, other honors to be presented include the Corporate Citizen of the Year Award which will be presented to the Reilly Financial Group. RFG founder, George Reilly and his staff have assisted Catholic Charities in providing hands-on work such as spring clean-up at various locations to supporting the agency’s various initiatives including the GADD.

A Client Achievement Award will be given to Edwardo “Eddie” Martinez, who tells of how Catholic Charities’ Beacon House, a transitional housing program, provided a haven for him during a difficult time and how he was inspired to turn his life around and find a stable home life and employment.

For gala ticket information, call 609-394-5181, ext. 1159, or email Jane Hargraves at [email protected]