Sr. Helen Amos, RSM, has spent years working to make homelessness in Baltimore rare and brief through the Journey Home initiative and the city’s plan to end homelessness. She has led, since 1999, Mercy Health Services’ board of trustees. For nearly four decades, she has helped run the hospital. Whether she is talking to a person living on the street or to the mayor, she has done it all with gracious resolve.

That is why Catholic Charities will honor her with its Msgr. Arthur F. Valenzano Joyful Servant Award at “A Movement to Love: An Evening with Catholic Charities,” Tuesday, Oct. 22, 2019 at the Hippodrome Theatre.

Sr. Helen’s commitment began before she became a Sister of Mercy 60 years ago. She studied mathematics, earning two degrees in it before becoming an educator and then a health care administrator. Still, her passion was always for merging the business and intellectual with the heart, finding the mission of compassion to be a business best practice.

Along with Sr. Helen, two others will be recognized for their outstanding contributions to the community in living Catholic Charities’ mission.

Ralph W. “Buddy” Emerson Jr. will receive the Distinguished Service Award. Emerson recently retired as a senior vice president at M&T Bank and has been involved with Catholic Charities for more than 30 years, providing service as a volunteer, donor, trustee, and committee member.

Eighteen-year-old Lauren Cole will be honored with the Anne Lindsey Otenasek Youth Service Award. In middle school, Lauren began using her talents and gifts for the benefit of the ladies at My Sister’s Place Women’s Center, contributing handmade scarves, baked goods, and other gifts. The award is in memory of another teen and longtime Catholic Charities volunteer who was lost in the 1988 bombing of Pan Am Flight 103.

After celebrating clients’ successes, “A Movement to Love: An Evening with Catholic Charities” will also recognize five Catholic Charities employees who exemplify the organization’s mission and commitments to dignity, compassion, humility, collaboration, excellence and integrity in an outstanding way.

Tickets, which include heavy hors d’oeuvres, drinks, dessert, and parking, are available at cc-md-old.vitamindesign.com/annualcelebration.