Catholic Charities San Gabriel honors volunteers at dinner
The 27th annual Catholic Charities San Gabriel Region volunteer recognition dinner, held May 9 at The Quiet Cannon Montebello, also paid tribute to Father Chris Ponnet, pastor of the St. Camillus Center for Spiritual Care, Judge Robert Ebiner and community advocate Caroline Kunitz, all of whom received the “Spirit of Caring Awards” for their dedication in serving and advocating for the poor.
“I am humbled and honored with this award,” Father Ponnet told participants. He invited members of St. Camillus Center’s staff to join him at the stage where he praised them for their hard work assisting and ministering to people suffering from HIV/AIDS.
With tearful eyes Judge Ebiner ended his speech by thanking his late wife of 52 years who, on top of being a “devoted” mother of their 15 children, supported him in his involvement and leadership roles in different community organizations. He acknowledged the hard work of the “more than 3,000 men and women that have supported Catholic Charities throughout the years.”
Kunitz praised the work led by Mary Romero, head of the San Gabriel Region office of Catholic Charities, for establishing a network to help those who need the most. Those include single mothers, a segment of the community Kunitz helps support through Los Angeles Diaper Drive, a nonprofit she co-founded to assist low-income families with diapers through partnerships with other organizations. In 2010 the volunteer-based charity gave away its two millionth diaper.
Catholic Charities serves a diverse segment of the community, with a large percentage being female Latino ages 25-54 with an annual income of $13,000 or less.
The dinner started with an opening prayer by Msgr. Gregory Cox, executive director of Catholic Charities of Los Angeles Inc., and included a fundraising auction for a variety of items — one a dinner with San Gabriel Region Auxiliary Bishop Gabino Zavala.
For more information about Catholic Charities in San Gabriel, call (323) 266-3130.
“I am humbled and honored with this award,” Father Ponnet told participants. He invited members of St. Camillus Center’s staff to join him at the stage where he praised them for their hard work assisting and ministering to people suffering from HIV/AIDS.
With tearful eyes Judge Ebiner ended his speech by thanking his late wife of 52 years who, on top of being a “devoted” mother of their 15 children, supported him in his involvement and leadership roles in different community organizations. He acknowledged the hard work of the “more than 3,000 men and women that have supported Catholic Charities throughout the years.”
Kunitz praised the work led by Mary Romero, head of the San Gabriel Region office of Catholic Charities, for establishing a network to help those who need the most. Those include single mothers, a segment of the community Kunitz helps support through Los Angeles Diaper Drive, a nonprofit she co-founded to assist low-income families with diapers through partnerships with other organizations. In 2010 the volunteer-based charity gave away its two millionth diaper.
Catholic Charities serves a diverse segment of the community, with a large percentage being female Latino ages 25-54 with an annual income of $13,000 or less.
The dinner started with an opening prayer by Msgr. Gregory Cox, executive director of Catholic Charities of Los Angeles Inc., and included a fundraising auction for a variety of items — one a dinner with San Gabriel Region Auxiliary Bishop Gabino Zavala.
For more information about Catholic Charities in San Gabriel, call (323) 266-3130.
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