Every year Catholic Charities sets aside an evening to celebrate the gift that staff and volunteers are to the community and to the church. It is a celebration of person gifts, as well as the acknowledgement of the families, children and individuals who have been served and touched by the over 1,100 staff in 166 locations (residentialand nonresidential sites) throughout the 14 counties of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Albany.
Click here to read Sr. Maureen Joyce's remarks from the dinner.
    
Kathleen Picotte Award
Kathleen Picotte was a major donor to Catholic Charities who embodied the mission of the agency through a spirit of generosity, a concern for the vulnerable and a passion for combating poverty through education and job training. To honor her memory, an award is given each year to a Catholic Charities employee who exemplifies her values.
2009 Kathleen Picotte Award Winner:
Robert "Bobby" Henderson - Catholic Charities Disabilities Services
Left to right: Jeff Covington, Betsy O'Haire, Bobby Henderson, Sr Maureen Joyce
Mr. Robert “Bobby” Henderson has worked at the Warren House Residence operated by Catholic Charities Disabilities Services as a Direct Support Professional for the last six years. Bobby is a very caring and compassionate individual who brings a sense of purpose and humility with him to work each and every day.
Warren House is home to twelve individuals with severe intellectual and physical disabilities. The staff who work there strive to make the lives of those who live there meaningful and engaging. Bobby is a leading force in this effort. He is the first to volunteer to take someone clothes shopping, to the movies, or to church services on Sunday morning. Bobby recognizes the importance of individuals, despite their limitations, to be a vital component of their community fabric. 
Bobby treats those he works for and beside with the utmost respect. He is attentive to their needs and mindful of their desires. Where others see a disability, Bobby sees a capability. Over the course of the past year, two individuals from Warren House have passed away. While dealing with his own grief, Bobby was able to comfort their families, his fellow staff, and the housemates of the departed. He has been a source of strength and comfort for Warren House during these dark days and has helped them emerge to brighter times today.
Mr. Henderson represents all that the Picotte Award embodies. His service to those who are poor of mind, spirit, and body are tireless. Where there are limitations, Bobby builds bridges to access. If people are poor of spirit, he aspires to lift them to new heights. Where people lack opportunity, Bobby brings the opportunity to them. Bobby fulfills the promise of Catholic Charities mission statement by being committed to active witness on behalf of Scriptural values of mercy and justice. Bobby works with people of differing faiths, lifestyles, and race without prejudice. He is a model employee who embraces the values of Catholic Charities and brings those values to the people he serves on a daily basis.
2009 Kathleen Picotte Award Nominees
Mary Ann Louison - Catholic Charities of Fulton & Montgomery Counties
Toni Joslin - Catholic Charities of Schoharie County
Beatriz Aviles - Community Maternity Services
Jill McLellan Phelps - Diocesan Housing and Property Management Services
Kim Piser - Catholic Charities of Rensselaer County
Barbara DiTommaso - Commission on Peace & Justice, Central Office
Nilda Giraldi - Hispanic Outreach Services |
