Upcoming Events:

• Advisory Board Meetings - held at 11:30 a.m.
  • May 10, 2010
    

 

 

 

1. In Memory of a Special Friend

On December 27, 2009, Catholic Charities lost a treasured friend and faithful volunteer when Jim Flynn passed away at age 73. Jim was a dedicated volunteer at the St. John’s Breadline since 2003, working every Wednesday and Friday. He also devoted countless hours to helping other Catholic Charities facilities across Springfield through his excellent handyman and carpentry skills. His cheerful humor and willingness to lend a helping hand are sadly missed.

Jim was a wood carver who made the display cases now hanging in the vestibule of the Breadline and the shelves for its dining room, giving it a warmer presence.  He also designed and made the Bingo Board that is used weekly and the key holder for the restrooms.  He was a gardener, as well, who always made sure to share his tomatoes with the Breadline.  Jim’s favorite statement as he volunteered at the Breadline was: “It doesn’t get any better than this!”

Donations to the Breadline made in Jim’s memory were used to purchase a commercial grade blender.

In the photo below, Breadline manager Kevin Kindred (center) presents Jim’s wife, Ann, and son Mike with a plaque that will be displayed in the vestibule of St. John’s Breadline in Jim’s memory.

2. Denim Days Donation

The Holy Family Food Pantry and Crisis Advocacy Office was blessed with a check in the amount of $1,330 from the employees of Hospital Sisters Health System (HSHS).  The employees of HSHS work together to raise funds for worthy causes through “Denim Days.”  This wonderful donation will help support individuals who are in need of rent, utility, transportation, emergency medications and personal identification cards. We would like to thank all HSHS employees who participated in “Denim Days” and made this contribution possible. 

3. Springfield Catholic Charities named Best Charity Again!

In the third annual State Journal-Register’s Readers’ Choice Awards, Springfield Catholic Charities was named Best Charity for the second time by readers in the Springfield community. The newspaper reported that 1,086 ballots were received. Congratulations to the Springfield staff!

4. New Vehicle Purchased Through Donations

Catholic Charities, through the wonderful support of 22 donors, raised $11,350 in order to purchase a compact car to be used for our Foster Care program. The "Fund-A-Need" project was part of the Springfield Area’s Ultimate BBQ fundraiser, which raised $70,206 to help support Catholic Charities’ program operations. Thanks to all of the generous donors, participants, and volunteers who made this event such a success and the purchase of the car possible.

5. Christmas Blessings

The Springfield Area Office has been blessed with the generous support of the community in 2009. 
Five local parishes, along with many wonderful local businesses, groups and individuals through their generosity, helped Catholic Charities serve over 1800 children with Christmas gifts and food baskets for the entire family. 

We thought that angel tree gifts provided by Little Flowers were gone for good due to a theft at the church. But amazingly enough, what was a very sad situation became a blessing for many within our community.  WYMG Christmas Wish Fund hand-delivered $1000 in cash to be spent on Christmas gifts, people walked in off the street to provide both financial and toy donations.  What was even greater was that most of the gifts stolen were returned to Little Flower.  We truly are a blessed community.  We have so many caring and compassionate individuals. 

Kicks, Kmart, Len Trumper and AMF Laketown Lanes, along with a many donors who would like to remain anonymous were extra kind to us this year by matching our purchases and giving freely to help support the youth in our community.  

CATHOLIC CHARITIES WOULD LIKE TO SAY THANK YOU  TO EVERYONE WHO MADE OUR CHRISTMAS HOLIDAY STORE SUCH A HUGE SUCCESS THIS YEAR.  WE ARE ONLY ABLE TO SERVE THOSE WHO ARE IN NEED WITH THE WONDERFUL SUPPORT OF OUR CARING DONORS AND VOLUNTEERS.

6. Breadline Sunday

All proceeds from the Breadline Sunday fundraiser support the wonderful service provided by St. John’s Breadline. This year we raised a total of $30, 771 and were blessed with the support of 44 churches and synagogues within the community and surrounding areas. More than 8,000 loaves of bread were donated by Schnucks and then sold for a suggested donation of $4 per loaf through the support of the participating churches and synagogues.  Thank you to all who helped make this fundraiser possible!

7. Hausman Donations to Breadline Appreciated

Recently, Mr. and Mrs. Jim Hausman donated 15 tons of food to the St. John’s Breadline.  Humphrey's Market has been a great support to the Breadline by providing much-needed storage for the donated food. The Breadline is hopeful that this wonderful donation will last until mid-summer. 

8. Thanksgiving Distribution

The Catholic Charities Thanksgiving Distribution was held on November 23, 2009, at Sacred Heart-Griffin High School.  With assistance from great volunteers in the community and SHG, hundreds of families were blessed with Thanksgiving baskets filled with a Thanksgiving Day meal and extras to last an additional seven days. This event is only possible due to the wonderful donors and volunteers who give so freely of themselves for others. Thank you to all who made this event a success again this year.

9. Comcast Foundation Donates to Food Pantry

The Holy Family Food Pantry received a financial grant in the amount of $620 from the Comcast Foundation.

This grant from the Comcast Foundation is in recognition of Comcast’s commitment to the communities where its customers and employees live and work. 

Catholic Charities would like to thank the Comcast Foundation for the wonderful support this year and in past years.  We could not serve the many families that we do without the help of our community.  This support allows Catholic Charities the opportunity to fulfill its mission “to extend to all the healing and empowering presence of Jesus.” 

10. Rotary West Donates to St. Clare’s Clinic Dental Program

St. Clare's Health Clinic received a wonderful gift from the Rotary West Members on September 23, 2009.  The $1,000 donation will help support the children's dental program. 

11. Ultimate BBQ 2009

The Ultimate BBQ and Live Auction benefiting those served by Catholic Charities of Springfield was held September 13, 2009.

Catholic Charities gratefully thanks the entire Host Committee, for their tremendous work on this event! Ultimate Barbecue Host Committee 2009:  Tom and Lori Cullen, Dan and Anne Dondanville, Todd and Chris Green, Mike and Kim Hoffman, Jeff and Lynell Loftus, Jim and Annette McDermott, Bruce and Marguerite Simon, Jeff and Sheri Stauffer, and Billy & Ruth Yu.

Also thanks to Benedictine University at Springfield baseball team members Roman Ricker, A.J. Gand, Michael Heshman, Paul Foley and Jared Washko, who volunteered their time during the Ultimate BBQ fundraiser. Catholic Charities greatly appreciates all of their hard work and commitment to the event. 

Special thanks to Representative Raymond Poe and Bill Hahn for providing the food and catering. 

Last, but not least, many thanks for all who helped make this fundraising event successful through silent and live auction donations, financial contributions and attendance.

12. Dominion Resources, Inc. Donates to St. Clare’s Clinic

On behalf of Dominion’s 18,000 employees and the Dominion Foundation, a $5,000 donation was given to St. Clare’s Health Clinic to be used to fund doctor exams, prescription medications, laboratory work, diagnostic tests and other essential services. According to C. J. Saladino, director, the employees had a direct hand in making this grant possible.

They redirected dollars from their normal employee recreational activities this year in order to provide additional support to important charitable causes. Catholic Charities is so grateful to be a recipient of this generous donation. Connie Marzinzik is pictured receiving a check for $5,000 from Dominion Resources, Inc. 

13. SIU School of Medicine and Sangamon County Health Department Visit Breadline

SIU School of Medicine Residents recently visited the St. John’s Breadline, along with staff from the Sangamon County Health Department.  The guests at the Breadline had the opportunity to receive medical screenings, blood pressure checks, and flu shots.

14. Thanks To Our Volunteers

The following pictures are from our Volunteer Appreciation Dinner that took place at the Northfield Center on April 2, 2009.  

Catholic Charities was so blessed to have the support of some great dinner sponsors:  Gordon Food Service, Northfield Center Robert’s Sysco Food Service, SIU School of Medicine, St. John’s Hospital, and U.S. Food Service.  With the wonderful support of our sponsors, Catholic Charities paid the balance of $163.82 for a fabulous dinner. 

The volunteers and staff enjoyed the great entertainment provided by the Lincoln Land Community College Stolen Moments Band, Jane Hartman, Director.

Some of our dinner guests were lucky enough to win door prizes from the following donors:  Bella Milano, Carlos O’Kelly’s, Cheddars, Cracker Barrel, Double Tree in Bloomington, Green Lincoln/Mercury Dealership, Market Place, Spaghetti Shop, Taco Bell, Top Cats, and Western IL Department of Corrections Wood Carving Class.

The Catholic Charities staff, honored volunteers who have served within the Springfield Catholic Charities area office for 5, 10 and 15 years.