WHO: Formerly homeless service men and women

WHAT: Valentine’s Day Pizza Party

WHERE: Catholic Charities’ St. Leo’s Campus for Veterans. 7750 S. Emerald Avenue, Chicago

WHEN: Wednesday, February 14, 2007 from 11 a.m. to noon.

An anonymous donor will deliver a special Valentine’s Day lunch for residents of St. Leo’s Veteran’s Campus, including hot pizza, soda, and cookies. The 141 formerly homeless men and women at St. Leo’s will mark their one-month anniversary at the brand-new residence in mid-February.

St. Leo’s is the first project of its kind to get up and running in the nation. Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Chicago teamed up with the U.S. Department of Veterans’ Affairs, Housing and Urban Development, donors, policymakers and volunteers to realize its vision of a full-service campus, complete with a medical clinic, job counseling, a fitness center, conference and laundry facilities, and a tranquil garden.

"What better way to celebrate Valentine's Day than by remembering Christ's love for us with a shared meal and fellowship?" says Father Michael Boland, President, CEO and Administrator of Catholic Charities. "It warms the heart to know that an anonymous donor has made this event possible for the men and women of St. Leo's."

There are 18,000 homeless veterans in the Chicago area, with a high concentration on the west and south sides of the city. St. Leo’s mid-south location is close to businesses, transportation, and the Faith Community of St. Sabina, which has housed St. Leo’s staff while the building was completed.

For more information about the Valentine’s Day Pizza Party, or St. Leo’s Campus for Veterans, please contact Sheila Haennicke, at (312) 948-7626, or (708) 214-4933.

Now in its 90th year, Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Chicago is the largest private, not-for-profit social service agency in the Midwest, annually assisting 1.1 million persons in Cook and Lake counties without regard to religious, ethnic or economic background. Catholic Charities fulfills the Church's role in the mission of charity by providing compassionate, competent, professional services that strengthen and support individuals, families and communities