Catholic Charities Brooklyn and Queens Raises $1.8 Million During the 2022 Bishop’s Humanitarian Award Dinner
Catholic Charities Brooklyn and Queens raised a record-breaking $1.8 million on September 29 at the 2022 Bishop’s Humanitarian Award Dinner. Held at Cipriani Wall Street, all proceeds benefit the more than 160 programs and services of Catholic Charities Brooklyn and Queens.
At the event, Catholic Charities Brooklyn and Queens presented Paul Capurso, NYC District Council of Carpenters; Dave T. Ferguson, E-J Electric Installation, Co.; and William J. Peterson, Neuberger Berman, with the 2022 Humanitarian Award. Catholic Charities Brooklyn and Queens also presented Wayne J. Riley, M.D., MPH, MBA, MACP, SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University, with the Bishop Joseph M. Sullivan Service Award, and Frank Russo, Jr., Russo’s On The Bay with the Ubi Caritas Award. Ken Rosato, Anchor, ABC-TV, Eyewitness News, served as the Master of Ceremonies, and the musical entertainers for the evening included the American doo-wop group, The Capris.
The 2022 Bishop’s Humanitarian Award Dinner is the first event the Most Reverend Robert J. Brennan, Bishop of Brooklyn, co-chaired for Catholic Charities Brooklyn and Queens following his official installation on November 30, 2021, as the Eighth Bishop of Brooklyn, serving the people of Brooklyn and Queens. “The Mission of Catholic Charities Brooklyn and Queens – to extend to all the healing and empowering presence of Jesus – is reflected in the work and dedication of its staff and volunteers daily,” said the Most Reverend Robert J. Brennan, Bishop of Brooklyn. “This work has never been more important than over the past two and a half years. Our neighbors have truly been suffering as they deal with the pandemic, the increased cost of living, and the recent influx of refugees from the border. Catholic Charities is there for them, offering a range of services from housing, food pantries, senior centers, childcare, and mental health and substance abuse counseling. Their compassion and dedication to helping others is an enduring testament to the Diocese of Brooklyn and Queens.”
Reverend Monsignor Alfred P. LoPinto, Chief Executive Officer, emphasized the importance of donors to the work of Catholic Charities Brooklyn and Queens. “In 2021, we spent over $11 million on food for the pantries, pop-up events, senior centers, and home-delivered meals for the homebound elderly. We also served more than half a million individuals with emergency assistance, older adult services, mental health counseling, affordable housing, family services, and early childhood programs. The numbers keep growing, and thanks to our donors, we are able to continue to provide services to those who need them most.”
The Bishop’s Humanitarian Award is presented annually to an individual who shows personal commitment to the well-being of the residents of our Diocese. Bishop Joseph M. Sullivan Service Award, in memory of Bishop Joseph Sullivan, who was an ardent advocate for social justice who dedicated more than 50 years to improving the lives of New Yorkers in need. A tireless leader, Catholic Charities was the recipient of his strong vision and unwavering leadership. In his memory, we have created the Bishop Joseph M. Sullivan Service Award to honor others who have followed in his footsteps by devoting their lives to the people of Brooklyn and Queens. The Ubi Caritas Award is presented for distinguished, unselfish support of human services as a reminder that true charity is the response of the human heart to God’s love for all people.
Click here to view event photos from the 2022 Bishop’s Humanitarian Award Dinner.
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About Catholic Charities Brooklyn and Queens: For over 124 years, Catholic Charities Brooklyn and Queens has been providing quality social services to the neighborhoods of Brooklyn and Queens and currently offers 160-plus programs and services for children, youth, adults, older adults, and those struggling with mental illness. Since 1975, Catholic Charities Progress of Peoples Development Corporation, the affordable housing developer of Catholic Charities Brooklyn and Queens, has been transforming vacant land and buildings into affordable housing units and transforming the lives of individuals and families, and completed more than 4,450 units with supportive services for seniors, families, veterans and the formerly homeless. Since the pandemic began, Catholic Charities Brooklyn and Queens has provided much-needed food packages and services at 60 Catholic Charities parish-based food pantries and has distributed over $8.5 million in food assistance. Catholic Charities Brooklyn and Queens continues to deliver crucial mental health counseling, housing services, family services, early childhood education, and emergency services. For more information, connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram @cathcharitiesBQ or @catholiccharitiesBQ.