The Ladies of Charity and Junior Ladies of Charity at St. John’s University embraced a Sesame Street theme for this year’s St. Mary’s Hospital Annual Trunk or Treat, held on October 20th. And our trunk was Cookie Monster! Kudos to our members who decorated the trunk!
At the end of a fun-filled day under beautiful skies, it was difficult to decide who enjoyed the event more—the Ladies and Juniors of Charity, or the Halloween Trunk or Treaters in their delightful costumes!
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The Ladies of Charity at St. John’s University invite you to the 2026 “Evening of Hope,” at Terrace on the Park, Flushing Meadows Park, on Thursday, May 7, 2026, 5:30 pm – 9:30pm. Click Here to register.
This year we are delighted to confer the “Spes Unica” Award on Lisa A. Gatti, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Pal-O-Mine, a comprehensive therapeutic equine program using horses to facilitate growth, learning and healing for children and adults with disabilities, persons who have been abused, Veterans, and people experiencing poverty. Lisa combines her love of education and horses to bring hope to individuals, families and communities. She exemplifies St. Vincent’s expression, “Love is inventive even to infinity.”
Individual tickets at $150 include cocktail hour, dinner and premium bar. Business attire. Sponsorship information is available here.
We look forward to welcoming you to our Evening of Hope.
Registration is open, please click on the invitation to register or follow this link: Click Here
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Juniors president, Ariana Yepez, and LC Juniors Co-Moderator Anna Rocchio
Easter break in April provided a unique opportunity for the Junior Ladies of Charity from St. John’s Preparatory School. Accompanied by St. John’s University Ladies of Charity Junior moderators Pat Mulé and Anna Rocchio and LC member Jen Borg, the Juniors visited St. John’s Bread & Life in the Bedford-Stuyvesant section of Brooklyn. The experience left an indelible impression on the group. Juniors president, Ariana Yepez, reflected on the day’s events:
“I had the opportunity to work in the kitchen, where we helped prepare and pack lunches for people in need. The meals we put together included cereal, milk, cookies, and fruit, seemingly ordinary yet substantial items that could bring comfort and nourishment and make a difference in someone’s day. I was responsible for carefully placing the food into containers, ensuring each was filled properly and neatly, knowing that these packages would soon be handed out to individuals and families who rely on this support.
“Though the service hours we earn through school are part of a requirement, that’s never why we do it. What matters most is the feeling of purpose and connection that comes from helping others, even in a small way.
“It’s humbling to take part in something that directly touches lives, and being behind the scenes in the kitchen gave me a deeper appreciation for the volunteers who show up consistently, not for credit, but simply to give.”
The Juniors plan a return visit to St. John’s Bread & Life in June.
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The Ladies of Charity at St. John’s were honored to be a part of the Confirmation celebrations for the students of St. Camillus and St. Virgilius 2013. This combined parish was severely damaged as a result of Hurricane Sandy, and the Ladies wished to offer both spiritual and financial support as the students embarked on their final Sacrament of Initiation. The Ladies worked in conjunction with the Archdiocese of Washington to raise funds to provide each of the students with a Bible, a gift card and to celebrate together with a pizza party. The remainder of funds were presented to Pastor Rev. Richard J. Ahlemeyer to help refurbish the parish church building.
Ladies Mary Ann Dantuono, Natalie Boone, Mary Ellen Freeley and Marge Cashin were on hand at the party, along with Sr. Mary Ann to serve the pizza and deliver the gifts.
From Left: Mary Ann Dantuono, Marge Cashin and Mary Ellen Freeley
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GLOBE – Global Loan Opportunities for Budding Entrepreneurs is a student-managed microloan program in the Peter J. Tobin College of Business and is led by Lady of Charity, Dr. Linda Sama. The mission of GLOBE is to help those living in poverty help themselves by boosting the earning capacity of local entrepreneurs which serves the needs of their local communities. With assistance from their Vincentian partners on the ground, the Daughters of Charity, GLOBE’s loans have helped the lives of families in six countries: Democratic Republic of Congo, Kenya, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Vietnam and most recently the Philippines. The Ladies offer support by donating funds to be used as loans, helping with fundraising efforts, and holding three seats on the steering committee. Many of these loans went to struggling farmers in Libon, Albay, Philippines with repayment terms that allowed them to enjoy yields from their labor before having to pay back the loan Another set of loans helped a number of women in a small village near Concepcion, Iloilo , Philippines– a former fishing village where Super Typhoon Yolanda destroyed the community’s ability to sustain its livelihood through fishing (bottom left). These women opened up sari sari (convenience) stores as part of a cooperative that have allowed the entire community to rebuild. Income from their businesses was used to not only pay back loans and send their children to school, but was further distributed to others in the community to start their own businesses. The women held borrower meetings (bottom right) with the newly initiated to help all pay back the loans. This trickledown effect resulted in GLOBE having reached fivefold the number of women originally given a loan! These stories are repeated in communities throughout the GLOBE sphere of operations.
Mary Ann Dantuono speaks to the seminarians about the Ladies of Charity work.
St. John’s University Ladies of Charity recently visited Miraculous Medal House in Queens, N.Y., to meet with Vincentian seminarians studying at the University. This gathering of two branches of the Vincentian Family fostered collaboration and mutual learning.
The afternoon featured presentations on the history and work of the Ladies of Charity, an organization founded by St. Vincent de Paul and Louise de Marillac in 1617 in Châtillon, France. This organization was the first of what is now recognized as the Vincentian Family.
The seminarians explored the extensive programs implemented by the Ladies of Charity at St. John’s University, both locally and on national and international levels.
The day concluded with a productive discussion about potential collaboration between the two groups. Both parties look forward to future meetings together.
By Kathleen Prager
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LOC celebrated University Service day by sharing their gifts and talents with SSND , from house-keeping tasks in the SSND facilities to updating mailing lists for their fundraising events.
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