The Event: It was a sweet 16th anniversary for Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Chicago’s D’Vine Affair on January 29. More than 400 guests gathered inside the Union League Club of Chicago to enjoy premium wines, liquors and craft brews while raising critical funds for Catholic Charities’ self-sufficiency programs.

Located throughout Cook and Lake counties, the five-year program aids low-income, often single parents with dependent children, to break the cycle of poverty through intensive education, job training and employment assistance. To date, D'Vine has raised more than $1.4 million dollars for the program.

Cause célèbre: “This is a time that we should all be helping each other out,” urged Rev. Michael M. Boland, president/CEO, Archdiocese of Chicago. “We have to be able to put ourselves in someone else’s shoes, regardless of any race or religion.”

Catholic Charities has 200 apartments across Cook and Lake counties and annually assists some 600 people, many of whom are children.

“That’s what family self-sufficiency is,” explained Kathy Donahue of North Riverside, SVP program development. “It’s taking the strengths of families that maybe have had a hiccup in their life – maybe a healthcare problem – and we get them back on their feet.”

The difference between self-sufficiency and homelessness, according to Monsignor Boland, is often just one paycheck, or $400.

The program helps maintain a stable home environment during hardship to enable families to get back on their feet. “The parents might be going through a foreclosure or an eviction and often don’t clue the kids in to the disaster,” explained Donahue.

Through the program, participants are trained in finance, child care, paying taxes, “And can even obtain a GED,” said Teddi Scholz of Highland Park, program founder.

 “If you strengthen families, they can take care of themselves,” said Donahue.

Bottom line:  D’Vine raised $140,000.