Catholic Charities’ 35th Guardian Angel Dinner Dance set for Sept. 25
July 25, 2024 at 11:30 a.m.
Helping to support essential services to more than 110,000 New Jersey residents annually, the 35th annual Catholic Charities Diocese of Trenton’s Guardian Angel Dinner Dance fundraiser is planned for Sept. 25 at The Merion, 1301 US-130, Cinnaminson.
The event, which includes dinner, dancing, silent auction, 50/50 raffle and more, celebrates CCDOT’s community partners who help support its mission: “to eliminate poverty, trauma, and adversity among our most vulnerable neighbors, regardless of faith, ethnicity or ability to pay.”
“It is the dedication of honorees, sponsors and supporters that makes what we do possible,” said Marlene Laó-Collins, CCDOT executive director. “The Guardian Angel Dinner Dance is not only a celebration of these generous individuals, it is a testament to their devotion to our mission of promoting recovery, strengthening families and reducing poverty. Proceeds from this event directly fund the services we provide in Burlington, Mercer, Monmouth and Ocean counties, and every thoughtful donation, no matter the size, supports the most vulnerable people in our communities.”
For more than 100 years, CCDOT has been a trusted resource throughout the Diocese of Trenton, offering programs that include meeting basic needs of food, clothing and shelter, as well as specialized treatments for addiction and mental illness and domestic violence in homes. CCDOT programs are designed to move individuals and families toward self-sufficiency and end the cycle of dependence, improving their lives and strengthening communities.
Cost to attend the dinner dance is $230 per person. Tickets and sponsorship opportunities are available at https://one.bidpal.net/gadd35, along with additional information about the honorees and sponsors of the event
For questions, contact Leslie Anne Alpaugh, 609.394.5181 x1154, [email protected].
Guardian Angel honorees this year include:
Light of Hope Award: Our Lady of Sorrows-St. Anthony Parish, Hamilton
Established in 1921 to cater to the northeastern corner of Trenton and parts of Hamilton Township, St. Anthony Parish thrived, necessitating the creation of a mission in Mercerville by 1938. This mission, named Our Lady of Sorrows, attained parish status in 1943. In 2005, the two parishes were reunified, following the Trenton Ward Study, which addressed the evolving demographics of the city and the spiritual needs of its inhabitants.
Msgr. Thomas Gervasio, member of CCDOT’s board of trustees, who was pastor of St. Anthony’s during the merger, has since led the combined parish. “The greatest characteristic of the parishioners here is their generosity,” he remarked. “They are tremendously giving, consistently responding to any appeals we make. I take great pride in that.”
Father Pierre Alabré, parochial vicar, oversees the parish’s Haitian Ministry. Currently, the parish provides ESL classes to over more than Haitian immigrants.
Light of Hope Award: Debbie Riveros, executive director of the NJ Children's Alliance, Inc.
Debbie Riveros serves as executive director of NJ Children's Alliance, Inc., an organization dedicated to fostering healing and justice for victims of child abuse through training, advocacy and resource provision. She is also a 911 dispatcher for her community.
Initially, she worked as a technician crafting orthopedic devices and orthotics for children supported by Healing the Children. Subsequently, she served as a home visitor and substance abuse counselor for Easter Seals within the Division of Children and Families. During her time in California, she taught at Phoenix Elementary School before transitioning to a role as a victim witness advocate for the district attorney's office in San Joaquin County.
Upon returning to New Jersey in 2006, Riveros joined the Monmouth County Prosecutor's Office as a bilingual victim advocate, and became the coordinator of Monmouth County's Child Advocacy Center. Encountering Catholic Charities’ Family Growth Program, Riveros advocated for Facility Dog Surf's integration into the prosecutor's team, offering solace to children involved in legal proceedings or undergoing therapy after forensic interviews.
Corporate Citizen of the Year Award: Seeds of Service, Brick Township
Amidst the chaos and wreckage wrought by Superstorm Sandy in October 2012, Visitation Parish on Mantoloking Road remained illuminated, offering solace and refuge to those in desperate need. Parishioner Christie Winters, bolstered by support of Catholic Charities, Diocese of Trenton, rallied a team of devoted volunteers to confront the urgent needs of the community. With grants and the acquisition of a building by Visitation Parish, the agency Seeds of Service was born in 2014, serving as a community hub that addresses the diverse needs of local residents.
Beyond dispensing food and clothing, SOS pioneered innovative programs designed to nurture self-sufficiency and empowerment. From initiatives fostering workplace readiness and a lending library for tools to a pet pantry, resume workshops, budgeting seminars, and tailored support for youth with special needs, SOS fostered a supportive environment conducive to personal growth, providing a cornerstone of resilience in the community, dedicated to serving the marginalized and delivering a spectrum of transformative services.
Richard J. Hughes Humanitarian Award: Laurence M. Downes
Familial influence and faith have permeated Larry Downes’ personal and professional endeavors. The example of praying the Rosary with his grandparents is etched in his mind, while his parents taught him about the importance of faith, family, education and work ethic.
During his 35-year career at New Jersey Resources, parent company of New Jersey Natural Gas, he prioritized stakeholder welfare over profit margins, propelled by his belief in the intrinsic value of human connection and mutual respect.
His decades-long involvement with Catholic Charities includes serving as the chair for the Restoring Dignity, Giving Hope Campaign. He served for 20 years on the finance committee for the Diocese of Trenton, and currently assists at Mercy Center in Asbury Park.
Larry’s nearly 50-year marriage to his wife Carol saw the couple instilling values of compassion and service in their children, Tom and Elizabeth, encouraging them to embrace the family’s legacy of helping others.
Client Achievement Award: Jean
Living with mental illness, Jean had experienced many dark, difficult days. Her prior experiences with treatment were not all positive.
“The approach at Catholic Charities was different,” she said. “I was treated as a whole person.” Jean saw a psychiatrist and a clinician. She also joined a therapy group for women. In 2016 ,she joined the Riverbank Self-Help Center where she was able to learn and share with others on a similar journey.
Jean earned credentials as a Peer Recovery Specialist and is currently working to become a Certified Drug and Alcohol Counselor. She is also currently a driver at the center and a Mental Health Peer Advocate on one of CCDOT’s Program of Assertive Community Treatment (PACT) Teams.
Since working with CCDOT, Jean has become a strong advocate for people with behavioral health diagnoses. She has shared her story with Catholic Charities USA. She also participated in a New Jersey Association of Mental Health and Addiction Agencies, Inc. campaign calling for significant increases in funding for behavioral health services.
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Helping to support essential services to more than 110,000 New Jersey residents annually, the 35th annual Catholic Charities Diocese of Trenton’s Guardian Angel Dinner Dance fundraiser is planned for Sept. 25 at The Merion, 1301 US-130, Cinnaminson.
The event, which includes dinner, dancing, silent auction, 50/50 raffle and more, celebrates CCDOT’s community partners who help support its mission: “to eliminate poverty, trauma, and adversity among our most vulnerable neighbors, regardless of faith, ethnicity or ability to pay.”
“It is the dedication of honorees, sponsors and supporters that makes what we do possible,” said Marlene Laó-Collins, CCDOT executive director. “The Guardian Angel Dinner Dance is not only a celebration of these generous individuals, it is a testament to their devotion to our mission of promoting recovery, strengthening families and reducing poverty. Proceeds from this event directly fund the services we provide in Burlington, Mercer, Monmouth and Ocean counties, and every thoughtful donation, no matter the size, supports the most vulnerable people in our communities.”
For more than 100 years, CCDOT has been a trusted resource throughout the Diocese of Trenton, offering programs that include meeting basic needs of food, clothing and shelter, as well as specialized treatments for addiction and mental illness and domestic violence in homes. CCDOT programs are designed to move individuals and families toward self-sufficiency and end the cycle of dependence, improving their lives and strengthening communities.
Cost to attend the dinner dance is $230 per person. Tickets and sponsorship opportunities are available at https://one.bidpal.net/gadd35, along with additional information about the honorees and sponsors of the event
For questions, contact Leslie Anne Alpaugh, 609.394.5181 x1154, [email protected].
Guardian Angel honorees this year include:
Light of Hope Award: Our Lady of Sorrows-St. Anthony Parish, Hamilton
Established in 1921 to cater to the northeastern corner of Trenton and parts of Hamilton Township, St. Anthony Parish thrived, necessitating the creation of a mission in Mercerville by 1938. This mission, named Our Lady of Sorrows, attained parish status in 1943. In 2005, the two parishes were reunified, following the Trenton Ward Study, which addressed the evolving demographics of the city and the spiritual needs of its inhabitants.
Msgr. Thomas Gervasio, member of CCDOT’s board of trustees, who was pastor of St. Anthony’s during the merger, has since led the combined parish. “The greatest characteristic of the parishioners here is their generosity,” he remarked. “They are tremendously giving, consistently responding to any appeals we make. I take great pride in that.”
Father Pierre Alabré, parochial vicar, oversees the parish’s Haitian Ministry. Currently, the parish provides ESL classes to over more than Haitian immigrants.
Light of Hope Award: Debbie Riveros, executive director of the NJ Children's Alliance, Inc.
Debbie Riveros serves as executive director of NJ Children's Alliance, Inc., an organization dedicated to fostering healing and justice for victims of child abuse through training, advocacy and resource provision. She is also a 911 dispatcher for her community.
Initially, she worked as a technician crafting orthopedic devices and orthotics for children supported by Healing the Children. Subsequently, she served as a home visitor and substance abuse counselor for Easter Seals within the Division of Children and Families. During her time in California, she taught at Phoenix Elementary School before transitioning to a role as a victim witness advocate for the district attorney's office in San Joaquin County.
Upon returning to New Jersey in 2006, Riveros joined the Monmouth County Prosecutor's Office as a bilingual victim advocate, and became the coordinator of Monmouth County's Child Advocacy Center. Encountering Catholic Charities’ Family Growth Program, Riveros advocated for Facility Dog Surf's integration into the prosecutor's team, offering solace to children involved in legal proceedings or undergoing therapy after forensic interviews.
Corporate Citizen of the Year Award: Seeds of Service, Brick Township
Amidst the chaos and wreckage wrought by Superstorm Sandy in October 2012, Visitation Parish on Mantoloking Road remained illuminated, offering solace and refuge to those in desperate need. Parishioner Christie Winters, bolstered by support of Catholic Charities, Diocese of Trenton, rallied a team of devoted volunteers to confront the urgent needs of the community. With grants and the acquisition of a building by Visitation Parish, the agency Seeds of Service was born in 2014, serving as a community hub that addresses the diverse needs of local residents.
Beyond dispensing food and clothing, SOS pioneered innovative programs designed to nurture self-sufficiency and empowerment. From initiatives fostering workplace readiness and a lending library for tools to a pet pantry, resume workshops, budgeting seminars, and tailored support for youth with special needs, SOS fostered a supportive environment conducive to personal growth, providing a cornerstone of resilience in the community, dedicated to serving the marginalized and delivering a spectrum of transformative services.
Richard J. Hughes Humanitarian Award: Laurence M. Downes
Familial influence and faith have permeated Larry Downes’ personal and professional endeavors. The example of praying the Rosary with his grandparents is etched in his mind, while his parents taught him about the importance of faith, family, education and work ethic.
During his 35-year career at New Jersey Resources, parent company of New Jersey Natural Gas, he prioritized stakeholder welfare over profit margins, propelled by his belief in the intrinsic value of human connection and mutual respect.
His decades-long involvement with Catholic Charities includes serving as the chair for the Restoring Dignity, Giving Hope Campaign. He served for 20 years on the finance committee for the Diocese of Trenton, and currently assists at Mercy Center in Asbury Park.
Larry’s nearly 50-year marriage to his wife Carol saw the couple instilling values of compassion and service in their children, Tom and Elizabeth, encouraging them to embrace the family’s legacy of helping others.
Client Achievement Award: Jean
Living with mental illness, Jean had experienced many dark, difficult days. Her prior experiences with treatment were not all positive.
“The approach at Catholic Charities was different,” she said. “I was treated as a whole person.” Jean saw a psychiatrist and a clinician. She also joined a therapy group for women. In 2016 ,she joined the Riverbank Self-Help Center where she was able to learn and share with others on a similar journey.
Jean earned credentials as a Peer Recovery Specialist and is currently working to become a Certified Drug and Alcohol Counselor. She is also currently a driver at the center and a Mental Health Peer Advocate on one of CCDOT’s Program of Assertive Community Treatment (PACT) Teams.
Since working with CCDOT, Jean has become a strong advocate for people with behavioral health diagnoses. She has shared her story with Catholic Charities USA. She also participated in a New Jersey Association of Mental Health and Addiction Agencies, Inc. campaign calling for significant increases in funding for behavioral health services.