Good Counsel Homes banquet scheduled for Oct. 27
July 29, 2019 at 12:37 p.m.
Good Counsel Homes-South Jersey, which provides assistance to homeless, pregnant women and their children, will hold its annual fundraising banquet Oct. 27 from 6 to 9 p.m. in The Merion, 1901 Route 130 South, Cinnaminson.
Staff, friends and supporters will joyfully commemorate the 58 babies who have been born since the facility opened in Riverside in April 2010 and acknowledge “all the faithful supporters who help us provide the services our mothers and babies so desperately need,” said staff member JoAnn DiNoia.
“We are eternally grateful to Bishop David M. O’Connell, C.M., for his support as well as all the pastors throughout the Diocese who have invited us in to share our mission story,” said DiNoia, who works with fundraising and development.
“It is also the chance for many of our supporters who have never visited South Jersey to meet our staff, our mothers and their babies and hear one mother share her story” about moving from a situation of desperation and hopelessness to one that is “filled with hope.”
Highlights of the banquet, which is Good Counsel Homes-South Jersey’s principal fundraiser, will include a keynote address by Father Robert Hughes, vicar general and moderator of the curia of the Camden Diocese, and the presentation of the inaugural Father Benedict Groeschel Life Award, which will be presented to Father John Chang and the Respect Life Committee of St. Raphael-Holy Angels Parish, Hamilton.
Father Hughes was ordained Aug. 4, 1990, in the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, Camden, after completing studies in Seton Hall University, South Orange, and the University of St. Anselm, Rome. His previous assignments include serving as: parochial vicar in Holy Saviour Parish, Westmont; president and a faculty member in Paul VI High School, Haddon Township; secretary of the diocesan Office of Catholic Schools; vice principal in Gloucester Catholic High School; vicar for pastoral life; director of the Worship Office; secretary of operations; diocesan chancellor and pastor of Holy Family Parish, Sewell. As vicar general, he assists Bishop Denis Sullivan in the governance of the Camden Diocese’s six counties of Atlantic, Camden, Cumberland, Cape May, Gloucester and Salem.
According to DiNoia, the Father Benedict Groeschel Award is named after the late Father Groeschel, who co-founded Good Counsel Homes with Chris Bell in 1985. The award has been presented in the past at the principal fundraiser in Manhattan for the New York facility. “Now that we have five years of supporters, we decided to introduce the award at our South Jersey Banquet,” DiNoia said, as she extended appreciation to the community of St. Raphael-Holy Angels Parish for “their commitment to the unborn” and how its parishioners convey the message that “life is truly a witness of God’s love.”
In addition to the Riverside facility, Good Counsel Homes also operates four additional homes in the New York metropolitan area while assisting in the opening of similar homes in eight other states.
The South Jersey facility, which is currently home to nine mothers and seven children, is located in the former convent on the grounds of Resurrection Parish, Delran. While in residence, mothers have earned their General Educational Development certificate; enrolled in nursing school, and attended community colleges, culinary and real estate school and other work related programs while working part-time or full-time jobs.
In addition, the mothers all participate in a Life Skills program where weekly classes on nutrition, post/prenatal education, general parenting, chastity, spirituality, finances, job preparedness and health and computer skills are offered. The goal of all Good Counsel Homes is to help residents find full-time employment, safe and secure housing and to become financially and physically independent while becoming contributing members of society, DiNoia said.
For more information about the Oct. 27 banquet, contact Mary Ann Lorimer at [email protected] or call 215-989-0021. More information about Good Counsel Homes can be found at goodcounselhomes.org, Facebook and Twitter.
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Good Counsel Homes-South Jersey, which provides assistance to homeless, pregnant women and their children, will hold its annual fundraising banquet Oct. 27 from 6 to 9 p.m. in The Merion, 1901 Route 130 South, Cinnaminson.
Staff, friends and supporters will joyfully commemorate the 58 babies who have been born since the facility opened in Riverside in April 2010 and acknowledge “all the faithful supporters who help us provide the services our mothers and babies so desperately need,” said staff member JoAnn DiNoia.
“We are eternally grateful to Bishop David M. O’Connell, C.M., for his support as well as all the pastors throughout the Diocese who have invited us in to share our mission story,” said DiNoia, who works with fundraising and development.
“It is also the chance for many of our supporters who have never visited South Jersey to meet our staff, our mothers and their babies and hear one mother share her story” about moving from a situation of desperation and hopelessness to one that is “filled with hope.”
Highlights of the banquet, which is Good Counsel Homes-South Jersey’s principal fundraiser, will include a keynote address by Father Robert Hughes, vicar general and moderator of the curia of the Camden Diocese, and the presentation of the inaugural Father Benedict Groeschel Life Award, which will be presented to Father John Chang and the Respect Life Committee of St. Raphael-Holy Angels Parish, Hamilton.
Father Hughes was ordained Aug. 4, 1990, in the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, Camden, after completing studies in Seton Hall University, South Orange, and the University of St. Anselm, Rome. His previous assignments include serving as: parochial vicar in Holy Saviour Parish, Westmont; president and a faculty member in Paul VI High School, Haddon Township; secretary of the diocesan Office of Catholic Schools; vice principal in Gloucester Catholic High School; vicar for pastoral life; director of the Worship Office; secretary of operations; diocesan chancellor and pastor of Holy Family Parish, Sewell. As vicar general, he assists Bishop Denis Sullivan in the governance of the Camden Diocese’s six counties of Atlantic, Camden, Cumberland, Cape May, Gloucester and Salem.
According to DiNoia, the Father Benedict Groeschel Award is named after the late Father Groeschel, who co-founded Good Counsel Homes with Chris Bell in 1985. The award has been presented in the past at the principal fundraiser in Manhattan for the New York facility. “Now that we have five years of supporters, we decided to introduce the award at our South Jersey Banquet,” DiNoia said, as she extended appreciation to the community of St. Raphael-Holy Angels Parish for “their commitment to the unborn” and how its parishioners convey the message that “life is truly a witness of God’s love.”
In addition to the Riverside facility, Good Counsel Homes also operates four additional homes in the New York metropolitan area while assisting in the opening of similar homes in eight other states.
The South Jersey facility, which is currently home to nine mothers and seven children, is located in the former convent on the grounds of Resurrection Parish, Delran. While in residence, mothers have earned their General Educational Development certificate; enrolled in nursing school, and attended community colleges, culinary and real estate school and other work related programs while working part-time or full-time jobs.
In addition, the mothers all participate in a Life Skills program where weekly classes on nutrition, post/prenatal education, general parenting, chastity, spirituality, finances, job preparedness and health and computer skills are offered. The goal of all Good Counsel Homes is to help residents find full-time employment, safe and secure housing and to become financially and physically independent while becoming contributing members of society, DiNoia said.
For more information about the Oct. 27 banquet, contact Mary Ann Lorimer at [email protected] or call 215-989-0021. More information about Good Counsel Homes can be found at goodcounselhomes.org, Facebook and Twitter.
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