On December 1, more than 200 supporters of Catholic Charities came together at The Biltmore’s Coral Casino for the 26th annual Mistletoe Ball. Ladies, clad in classic black and festive holiday gowns, and their dates mingled on the partially tented La Pacifica Ballroom Terrace before adjourning to the ballroom for dinner, where hundreds of orange balloons on the ceiling lent a festive flair.
Emcee Neal Graffy welcomed guests and explained how Catholic Charities serves the working poor, providing not a handout but a hand up. He highlighted the crucial role Catholic Charities plays in food distribution, distributing more than 2.1 million pounds of food annually. Graffy mentioned the plethora of other services it provides and emphasized that all funds raised in Santa Barbara stay in the county. Father Larry Gosselin gave a lovely prayer, and Bishop Robert Barron provided a moving speech on how integral serving the poor is to the Catholic faith. John Palminteri led an extensive auction and an ask. All donations made in November and December are being matched by an anonymous benefactor. Anne Smith Towbes presented the event’s Community Stars, Erin Graffy and Dr. James Garcia, who were honored for their extensive service to the community, and then guests danced into the night.
Catholic Charities began in 1924 as the Ladies Aid Society of Our Lady of Sorrows Parish and currently operates, with a $1.8 million budget, as The Santa Barbara Region of Catholic Charities of Los Angeles. It provides many forms of assistance to the working poor through its offices in Santa Barbara, Carpinteria, Lompoc, and Santa Maria. Last year, it served about 2,400 unduplicated people in the City of Santa Barbara and more than 17,000 countywide.