It may have been snowing and frightful outside, but inside Gibsons Bar & Steakhouse in Oak Brook on Sunday, Jan. 25, it was warm and quite delightful for the more than 300 older adults who joined together with friends and neighbors to enjoy a decadent steakhouse meal. 

The 18^th Annual Gibsons Catholic Charities Luncheon was generously hosted by the Gibsons Restaurant Group, staff, friends, and family who volunteered, prepared, and served lunch to clients of Catholic Charities. Since 2008, Gibsons has partnered with Catholic Charities to provide a special holiday meal to those in need.  

Gibsons invited residents from 19 Catholic Charities senior housing communities throughout the city and suburbs to Oak Brook for a hearty meal of shrimp cocktail, salad, meatloaf and roasted chicken, mashed potatoes, broccoli, plus cookies and brownies for dessert. Guests also received gift bags packed with ear buds, toiletry items and more from contributing sponsors: Roundy’s, Chicago White Sox, Reyes Coca-Cola Bottling, Fairlife, Walgreens, Strack & Van Til, Supreme Lobster, Get Fresh Produce, Northwest Meats, Fortune Fish, Purely Meats, Midwest Finer Foods, US Foods, CBC, Grecco, Viola, Stockyards, Trimark, RFD and Blue Star. 

“I don’t think there’s enough that goes on in our world to honor our seniors and our veterans,” said John Colletti, managing partner of the Gibsons Restaurant Group. “We started this lunch to honor Dave Cacioppo who worked for us. Dave was a product of Catholic Charities, he was an orphan, and a fine example of what Catholic Charities does. If you look at our group today, it’s amazing all the smiles on all of the faces of the seniors and veterans, and the smiles on our volunteer faces today. They’ll all having a gas.” 

“I feel like a king here,” said Charles, who dressed in a suit and tie for the event and to proudly represent St. Leo Residence for Veterans. “Coming out for a special occasion like this, I was definitely excited.… The service is excellent. I feel privileged, happy, and thankful for Catholic Charities.” 

Liz Lombardo Stark, director of marketing and public relations at the Gibsons Restaurant Group, said it means so much to the Gibsons family to serve seniors and veterans with this special meal each year.  

First-time guest, Rachel, a resident of Donald Kent in Northlake, said she and her neighbors were dressed up and ready to go early Sunday. 

“I love it. The food is excellent, the restaurant is really nice,” Rachel said. “I was looking forward to it, and I’m very pleased and very impressed. This is really awesome of Gibsons.” 

Catholic Charities staff leaders Colleen Kennedy, Vice President, Giving, and Gina Cleggs, Senior Vice President, Seniors and Housing, thanked the Gibsons Restaurant Group and the more than 50 volunteers who prepared and served the meal. 

This was Jamada’s first time at the luncheon after moving into St. Leo at the end of last year. 

“It’s been a very great experience, and I appreciate outings like this that show the community appreciates us and what we sacrificed and what we went through,” said Jamada, who served eight years with the U.S. Navy. 

Martha has lived in both All Saints Manor and Roseland senior housing communities for 17 years, and she loves to see outings like this special luncheon. 

“This event lets the seniors see Catholic Charities does care and provide,” Martha said. “Seniors do nothing but sit — this is getting them out of their apartments and social isolation and getting them involved in some type of social activity.” 

Angel Rivera, Vice President, Housing, told the seniors in attendance how grateful Catholic Charities is to have them as residents. 

“The importance of this event is the power of coming together as a community in the service of others,” Angel said. “That act of kindness is a spark of light that we really need these days. Hopefully, with the kindness that’s been shared here today, the seniors will go home and spread that light with others in their community.”