Catholic Charities of San Bernardino and Riverside Counties

SAN BERNARDINO, Calif. – The Catholic Charities Annual HOPE Dinner, held on November 7, 2009 at the Victoria Club in Riverside, is broadening its fundraising focus to help those affected by the economic crisis and to support all impacted Catholic Charities’ programs and services. The immediate challenges in our local communities have prompted Catholic Charities to expand its fundraising efforts to include struggling families most impacted by our local economic reality.

2009 Honorees: Leo Deragisch, Kimiko Ford, Lowell A. King, Celia Cudiamat, and Leland M. Daniels.

"The number of people struggling in the Inland Counties is staggering,” commented Ken F. Sawa, CEO. “Last fiscal year we had a 41% increase in housing assistance. Catholic Charities helped 1,386 households remain in their homes saving 4,333 children and their caregivers from the downward spiral of homelessness”. According to the State of California Employment Development Department, the unemployment rate in Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario in September 2009 was 14.2% … one of the highest in the nation. “We lost 72,000 jobs over the year in our local communities,” said Sawa. “And these statistics do not include families severely impacted because of furloughs, decreased hours, or reduced pay.”

The money raised from the HOPE dinner will provide more help for new clients arriving at their door. “This year the situation is so different from last year,” said Kathleen Neff, Manager of Agency Resources. “Many of our donors feel solidarity toward those who are in a crisis and are opting to forego silent auction gifts for themselves to give a basic necessity to others. Innovative new ways of giving are in place to bring more resources to those hurting.” The motto of the dinner is “The evening is ours, the benefit is theirs.”

Silent auction gifts which typically benefit the bidder will be available, but Catholic Charities also is offering auction items with a twist – donors can bid on items that affected families desperately need: buying shoes for kids, buying special infant formula, buying groceries for a week, or preventing eviction. This is a concern because many families affected experience a “gap in service,” which is when families desperately need something but adequate resources are not readily available to address that need. “Those less impacted by the economic crisis are seeking ways to care for those in our communities who now do not have enough income to support their families”, stated Sawa.

This year five individuals who have demonstrated the Catholic Charities’ motto of “Providing Help, Creating Hope” will be recognized at the dinner for their work in the two-county area. The “Providing Help, Creating Hope” 2009 Honorees are Celia Cudiamat, Vice President of Grants Programs of The Community Foundation; Leland M. Daniels, Coordinator/Principal, Foster Youth Services, Alternative Education Program for the Riverside County Office of Education; Leo Deragisch, retired CHP and longtime volunteer for Catholic Charities; Kimiko Ford, Vice-President of Mission and Support Services for the Community Hospital of San Bernardino; and Lowell A. King, Regional Operations Officer for Goodwill Southern California, Inland Empire Chapter.

Catholic Charities is a 501(c)3 public benefit non-profit agency that has been providing necessary social services for nearly 30 years throughout San Bernardino and Riverside Counties. With the goal of increasing the stability, safety, and health of low income families and those in crisis, Catholic Charities serves all families regardless of religious affiliation. With a combination of government contracts, foundation grants, corporate support, and private donors, Catholic Charities served over 19,377 unduplicated households in FY 2008-09, and overall served 63,381 duplicated individuals with a range of social services.