The annual Hope Ball, chaired by Rita and Lamar Hunt, Jr., raised over $2 million to benefit the programs and services at Catholic Charities of Kansas City-St. Joseph. The beautiful evening, held on April 27 at the Historic Muehlebach Hotel, put a spotlight on the clients served by Catholic Charities and inducted 12 young ladies and 12 young men into the newly created Our Lady of Hope Society.
Catholic Charities was pleased to extend an invitation to six of our clients who had previously received services at our agency. One of our client attendees, Chris Schump, highlighted his experience from spending time in prison to working on construction sites as a carpenter in the event’s featured video. Chris’ journey came full circle when he had the opportunity to meet Peggy and Terry Dunn: Terry is the retired CEO of his employer, JE Dunn.
“Big blessings are possible,” Chris said. “The life I live today I never thought I was capable of.”
This year’s Hope Ball was reimagined to honor junior and seniors in high school, who were nominated by their community based on their acts of charity, good character, and living out their Catholic faith.
One of this year’s honorees, Notre Dame de Sion senior Arleth Recio, was recognized for creating the new logo for the Hope Ball. The design of the Blessed Virgin Mary was special to Arleth.
“My family and I view Mary as La Virgin de Guadalupe. It’s such a beautiful story of how she appeared to Juan Gabriel. I view Mary as a second mother, as my holy mother,” she said.
The honorees began the evening with a Mass celebrated by Bishop Johnston, who later blessed and presented the young people with special medals of Our Lady of Hope. In addition to the video and remarks by Catholic Charities CEO Karen Noel and Co-Chairs Rita and Lamar Hunt, Jr., the event included a formal waltz by the honorees and culminated in a performance by KC FLO and dancing into the evening.
“My mom and I stayed until the end of the ball literally dancing the night away,” said Arleth. “It is something I will never forget.”
Since the ball, Arleth has graduated from Notre Dame de Sion and is planning on attending Creighton University with a major in biochemistry or biology on a pre-med track. Arleth also intends to stay true to her Catholic faith.
“If I could lead a Catholic ministry in the future, it will definitely have something to do with healthcare since medicine is something I love,” she said.
Arleth provided the following advice for any incoming high school student who wants to participate in Our Lady of Hope Society: “If you are nominated and even a tiny bit interested, you should do it! It was a ton of fun and honestly so worth it.”
Do you know an exemplary high school student who will be a junior or senior during the 2024-2025 school year? Have they demonstrated a commitment to the Catholic Charities’ Mission? Catholic Charities has already started accepting applications for student nominations for next spring’s 2025 Hope Ball. Deadline to submit is 9/27/2024.
Submission form can be found here
If you’re interested in volunteering and/or learning more about Catholic Charities, please call 816.221.4377 or email at assistance@ccharities.com or visit one of our locations. You may also visit our website for more information: www.catholiccharities-kcsj.org
By Katie Pike, Events and Appeals Manager at Catholic Charities of Kansas City–St. Joseph
Photographers: John Caulfield and Glenn Hemberger