CHARLOTTE — Catholic Charities Diocese of Charlotte held its 17th Annual Vineyard of Hope Gala Feb. 20.
The annual gathering is an opportunity to raise funds for critical services needed in the community, to celebrate the life-changing work that has been accomplished over the past year, and to honor someone in the community who has made a difference.
This year’s Fruit of the Vine Award recipients were Joe and Carol Gigler, parishioners of St. Matthew Church in Charlotte. They were recognized for their service to the Church for the past 36 years, witnessing the remarkable growth of the Charlotte diocese.
The Giglers have endowed the Maureen Reinehr Gigler Fund at Catholic Charities to support the continued development of multicultural ministries in the Charlotte region, which provide access and opportunity to all children in the region, particularly children of immigrant and migrant families.
During the Feb. 20 gala, Catholic Charities reported that thanks to the generosity of donors last year:
- 135,603 pounds of food and personal items were distributed to 5,781 people
- 643 refugees were welcomed and resettled or received ongoing assistance
- 103 refugees secured employment through job placement services
- 240 families received legal immigration services to help establish permanent residence and reunite families
- 1,118 mental health counseling services helped people get through difficult times
- 316 families received crisis direct assistance, 79 of those for burial assistance to provide a dignified burial for a loved one
- 747 residents participated in the Transition Out of Poverty program
- 72 volunteers provided 4,722 hours of service
This year’s 17th Annual Vineyard of Hope Gala raised $105,533 for Catholic Charities’ efforts to strengthen families, build communities and reduce poverty in the Charlotte region.
“We are deeply appreciative of the generosity of so many local donors who through their donations at the Vineyard of Hope help ensure that Catholic Charities in the Charlotte metro area is able to provide services to those in need. Our words are insufficient to adequately express our gratitude,” said Dr. Gerard Carter, executive director of Catholic Charities.
— SueAnn Howell, Senior reporter
More online
At www.ccdoc.org: Learn how you can support Catholic Charities’ work across the Diocese of Charlotte.