Upcoming fundraisers to help the hungry through Catholic Community Services

Friday, Apr. 08, 2016

OGDEN — The northern Utah community will gather April 20 to honor benefactors of Catholic Community Services, enjoy fellowship and bid on one of Benedictine Sister Stephanie Mongeon’s Bundt cakes during the annual Catholic Community Services of Northern Utah’s Dream Builder’s Breakfast. 

The event, which is CCS Northern Utah’s only annual fundraiser, is “an opportunity to get everybody in the community together and show them what we do and raise that awareness,” said Maresha G. Bosgieter, CCS Northern Utah development director, adding that about 450 people are expected to attend, many of whom are CCS volunteers or are from businesses that support CCS. “We have such a wide variety of people that come and support us.”

CCS Northern Utah runs the Joyce Hansen Hall Food Bank, which provides monthly assistance to more than 2,300 households, most of which are families with children. They also have the Bridging the Gap program, which provides low-income students at local elementary schools with two bags of meals for the weekend; and St. Martha’s Baby Project, which gives layettes to low-income parents with new infants.

One of the main focuses of the Dream Builders’ Breakfast this year will be the case management services, said Randy Chappell, director of CCS Northern Utah. “Yes, we’re there to help clients with their food once a month, but we also have Debbie [Nielsen], our case manager, who helps them with the case management part to help them become self-sufficient. We don’t want our clients to come to us every month asking for food. We want them to get on with their lives as well.”

During the breakfast, Frank and Barbara Layden will be the guest speakers. Also, three awards will be given.

Marcie Valdez, who stepped down last year after almost six years as CCS Northern Utah director, will be presented with the Humanitarian Award. 

“She has a true passion for helping others, and always tried to make sure the programs and projects we ran were focused on our clients and how we could benefit them the most,” Bosgieter said; Valdez now runs the Foundation for the Davis Applied Technology College.

The Corporate Partner Award will be presented to Kier Corporation, which for more than 20 years has donated space on Lincoln Avenue for a food program.

Susan Denkers, who has been involved with CCS Northern Utah since 1998 and has helped in many ways, including providing significant operating capital during the early years and contributing to the building’s renovation, will receive the Philanthropist Award.  

One of the highlights of the breakfast will be Sr. Stephanie, who is flying in from the Benedictine community in Minnesota, where the sisters who had served in Utah returned after selling their monastery in Ogden.

“Everyone always loves the opportunity to see her, so she’s going to offer one of her prayers, and she’s bringing one of her amazing Bundt cakes to auction off again,” Bosgieter said.

The annual Empty Bowls event, which benefits Catholic Community Services’ homeless services, also is upcoming.

“The idea is that you purchase a bowl, and then that will feed a person,” said Danielle Stamos, CCS public relations officer, about the event, which is is scheduled for May 7, the day before Mother’s Day. “If you’re looking for a gift for your mom, and you have not yet found anything, or she’s a woman who has everything and maybe wants to help someone in need, buying a bowl is a great idea.”  

WHAT: Dream Builder’s Breakfast

WHEN: Wednesday, April 20, 7:30-9 a.m.

WHERE: Ogden Eccles Conference Center, 2415 Washington Blvd., Ogden

COST: $30; sponsorship levels available

RSVP by April 13 online at www.ccsnorthernutah.org or to Maresha Bosgieter, mbosgieter@ccsutah.org or 801-428-1293.  

 AND

WHAT: Empty Bowls

WHEN: May 7

WHERE: St. Vincent de Paul Dining Hall, 437 West 200 South, SLC