Catholic Charities Community Services of Rockland “Hearts of Gold” Gala Recently Honored 13 Community Members

The recent Hearts of Gold Gala hosted by Catholic Charities Community Services of Rockland (CCCSR) was an enormous success acknowledging the hard work of 13 members of Rockland County Parishes for their “hearts of gold.” The honorees were nominated by their respective Pastors for their dedication and commitment to their own parish ministry.

“It was our honor to celebrate so many special individuals who give back to others through their Parish communities. This was the second time we asked the local Parish priests to identify their own Parish members for this recognition and I’m proud to say it is now a tradition that the entire Rockland community looks forward to,” stated Dan Eudene, Executive Director of Catholic Charities Community Services of Rockland.

CCCSR has been assisting Rocklanders with food insecurity and housing issues for over 25 years. They have an on-site garden and food pantry to help ensure individuals receive the food they need as well as fresh produce to put on the table. The money raised for the gala goes directly to help individuals and families in need across Rockland.

The 13 Parish members honored were:

• Judith Scandiffio, St. Catharine of Alexandria, Blauvelt
• St. Anthony Youth Group, St. Anthony, Nanuet
• Henry Antonucci, Sacred Heart Church, Suffern
• Kathryn Kelly and Gloria Toal, St. Augustine, New City
• Colleen Johnson, St. Gregory Barbarigo, Garnerville
• Dena Fischetti, St. Francis of Assisi, West Nyack
• Yaneth Magana, Parish of St. Paul and St. Ann, Congers
• Raymond Hayes, St John Henry Newman, Tappan and Piermont
• Margaret Robertson, St. Margaret of Antioch, Pearl River
• Kathi and Larry Urban, St, Aedans, Pearl River
• Matilde Lopez, St. Peters & St. Mary's, Haverstraw

Catholic Charities Community Services of Rockland is an affiliate of the Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of New York and is a not-for-profit 501c3 social service agency established in 1996 by the Catholic parishes of Rockland County. Through compassionate and professional case management, Catholic Charities Community Services of Rockland assists individuals and families of all ages, from every race, and ethnic group from throughout Rockland County regardless of their religious affiliation. The organization’s focus is to provide the necessities of life, such as food, shelter and emergency assistance for those in need. Programs include information and referral, general case management, homelessness and eviction prevention, emergency financial assistance, nutritional outreach and education, street outreach, the warming center, a food pantry, and immigration legal services. CCCSR envisions a Rockland County where all individuals have the basic necessities – food, shelter and help in time of crisis in order to reach their full potential and lead a life of dignity. More information can be found at https://www.ccsrockland.org/ or by calling (845) 942-5791

In 2023 CCCSR:

• Provided ​over 200,000 meals through the Food Pantry to over 5,000 households
• ​Distributed 10,000 pounds of fresh vegetables to Food Pantry participants from the Community Garden of Love located on the property along with donated produce from Stoke’s Farms
• ​​Received support from 40+ dedicated volunteers to help to prepare, bag, and distribute food
• Performed 450 screenings for SNAP assistance
• Kept over 95 households from losing their shelter
• Assisted over 2,500 individuals through case management providing information and referrals
• Received $450,000 worth of food which was distributed to local households