Cathie Knox named Guerin Outreach Ministries Leadership and Advocacy Award recipient for 2010

Several times a year, parishioners at St. Theresa Church in Palm Springs load up cars and trucks with donated gifts and supplies and bring them to their neighbors across the Coachella Valley. Cathie Knox, coordinator of catechetical ministry at St. Theresa’s, organizes and makes possible these donations to immigrant farm workers living and working in poverty in southern California.

In recognition of her efforts, Cathie was awarded the Guerin Outreach Ministries Leadership and Advocacy Award for 2010 on Oct. 27.

Guerin Outreach Ministries serves as an umbrella ministry for three individual ministries of the Sisters of Providence of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, Ind. Among these ministries is Providence in the Desert, which provides English as a Second Language instruction for adults, music lessons for children and other needed support to immigrants in the Coachella who make up one of the poorest segments of the United States population.

Cathie Knox has been a key player in helping Providence in the Desert reach out and meet the needs of the people they serve.

For the past six years, she has spearheaded large donations of food, clothing and toys at Christmas and Easter. At grape harvest time in June, her group brings bags of toiletries and other supplies and delivers them in the evening to guest workers where they camp for the nights under trees or in parking lots.

“Cathie’s determination to support the families in the poorest areas of the valley and her caring concern for their needs is admirable. We are choosing to recognize this spirit of giving as a way to commend someone who represents the message of love from the Gospels,” said Frances Ginther, consultant to Guerin Outreach Ministries and one of the award’s organizers.

“Cathie engages others and stimulates their interest in helping. When people donate clothing, she insists that it be clean and in good condition: things that they would want to wear themselves. She encourages the religious education students to understand that poor immigrants are real people with dignity,” said Sister Carol Nolan, SP, director of Providence in the Desert.

In turn Cathie is happy to assist in the work that Providence in the Desert does.

“I believe that all persons deserve the basic necessities for daily living, and some of the luxuries,” Cathie said.

“The work the Sisters of Providence do to improve the livelihood of these individuals is invaluable. By providing learning opportunities for these families, they give them better prospects for their futures and that of their children,” Cathie said.

“Cathie’s generous giving of her time and talents elicits the support and encouragement of many members of the St. Theresa community. They are at one end of the Valley and we are at the other, and this connects us and all the wonderful people in between,” Sister Carol said.

For more information about Guerin Outreach Ministries and Providence in the Desert or to find ways you can contribute to these not-for-profit charitable organizations, visit www.GuerinOutreachMinistries.org.