DIOCESAN NEWS
02/26/10
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New auxiliary created for Catholic Charities
     JACKSON – Catholic Charities gets to the heart of matters every day when it opens its doors to those from all walks of life who are seeking refugee, facing an untimely pregnancy, suffering from abuse or neglect, trying to quit drugs, needing help with serious emotional disturbances, or looking for parenting skills or counseling in difficult times.
     Volunteers are critical to this work and the Jackson office recently received a grant and hired Kami LeVern as volunteer coordinator.
     She is not only working with volunteers but is undertaking the development of a Catholic Charities Auxiliary that she and others hope will become the heart of the organization.
     “Basically my job is to match needs from the 26 programs that Catholic Charities is offering with help and support from talented volunteers. An on-going list of volunteers will give us access to those volunteers as needs arise,” LeVern said.
     “The auxiliary would be a supportive arm of the Catholic Charities Development Department,” she said. “Auxiliary members would help plan and execute fundraisers such as the Bishop’s Ball, the Journey of Hope luncheon, the car raffle and other projects.”
     To kick off the formation of the auxiliary, two meetings will be held next week.
     The first will be at noon Thursday, March 4, in the conference room of Catholic Charities. Lunch will be provided. Another will be held on Saturday, March 6, at the Corner Bakery Café in the Market Center on Lakeland Drive in Flowood.
     “Everyone is invited,” LeVern said. “We want our auxiliary members to be ambassadors within their parishes and communities. Anyone from throughout the diocese is welcome and urged to come and join us.
     “This is the beginning of what we hope will be a strong network of ambassadors who are committed to helping Catholic Charities. These initial meetings will lay the foundation for our work,” she said.
     Ideas will be considered about monthly meetings, specific projects and calendar planning.
     “We’ll decide when it’s best to meet and where to meet,” LeVern said. “And we’ll talk about ways to keep all auxiliary members abreast of our work whether they are in Jackson or other areas of the diocese or in parishes near our other offices in Natchez or Vardaman or Canton.”
     LeVern said the first major project for the auxiliary will be the Bishop’s Ball on Friday, June 4.
     “We want to make the ball our premier event, our premier project,” she said. “Our goal is 500 attendees (250 couples). Auxiliary members will work to invite people from all parishes in the diocese to attend.
     “This year at the ball Bishop (Joseph) Latino plans to honor the seminarians especially Deacon Scott Thomas who will be ordained the next day — on Saturday, June 5, at the Cathedral of St. Peter the Apostle,” LeVern said.
     “Our goal is to have a huge crowd. The auxiliary will help with publicity, invitations, the live auction and the themed packages raffle. All of this will help us raise more funds to provide help and create hope in the lives of the children we serve at Catholic Charities.
     “Please join us in this new ministry.”
     Persons planning to attend either of the meetings to develop the auxiliary are asked to contact: Kami LeVern at 601-326-3759 or Michael Thomas at 601-326-3719 or Miriam Koury at 601-326-3758.

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