An Evening at the Movies to Benefit Homeless Shelter

Catholic Charities presents An Evening at the Movies to benefit St. Anthony Family Shelter, on Thursday, June 25, 2009. This event will include dinner and a silent auction at Church of the Magdalen Msgr. Schmidt Parish Hall from 6 to 9 p.m.

Walk the red carpet and be treated to a delectable dinner prepared by Eurest Dining Services and the Wichita Wagonmasters. Seminarians from the Catholic Diocese of Wichita will serve the food. Piano music will be provided by Garrett Scott and silent films will be shown during the course of the evening for your entertainment. Wonderful silent auction items will be available for bid throughout the event.

Tickets for prize drawings will be available at the event for a suggested donation of $20. Or receive three tickets for a suggested $50 donation. One prize will be a one-of-a-kind, handmade, game table crafted by Rev. Daryl Befort from St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church. This special table has a top that is constructed out of wood from the basketball court at the high school in Kingman, Kansas. More great prizes will be available to win.

All proceeds will benefit Catholic Charities St. Anthony Family Shelter. This facility provides food, shelter and support to homeless families in the community. In 2008, the shelter provided a total of 520 men, women, and children a safe place to stay. The new facility, built in 2007, allows 24 percent more occupancy than the old shelter with room for 13 families at a time. With maintenance and room turnover, the shelter attained 93 percent capacity for the year. The average length of stay for families in 2008 was 25.6 days.

In addition to the basic necessities, families at the shelter receive three meals a day plus snacks, toiletries, medical services and referrals, instruction in parenting skills, drug and alcohol counseling classes, screenings and referrals, case management, and follow-up services if they so choose. Proceeds from the event will go toward making these things possible. Last years' dinner, An Evening in France, raised more than $48,000 for the homeless shelter.

Individual seating, which includes admittance and dinner, costs $75. A reserved table for eight is available for $600 and a reserved table for ten is $750. Check-in begins at 6 p.m. at the front door.

To reserve your seat for An Evening at the Movies please visit www.providinghelp.org or call (316)264-8344, extension 221.

About Catholic Charities

Established in 1943 as a social service outreach of the Catholic Diocese of Wichita, Catholic Charities has served the community for more than 65 years. Accredited by the Council on Accreditation (COA), Catholic Charities works to ensure efficiencies and effectiveness of its program - striving for quality. Since its beginning, Catholic Charities has helped people of all faiths and backgrounds, "demonstrating the Gospel values of love and justice through service, education, advocacy, and collaboration." While the programs and services have changed to meet community needs, the goal of Catholic Charities remains - to make a positive difference in the lives of people of all faiths.