Porto Charities August Newsletter

Volume Thirteen - August 2022

The PCI Portal

A Monthly Newsletter from Porto Charities, Inc.

At Porto Charities, Inc. our mission is to support children with special needs with the opportunity for an inclusive Catholic education, and young adults with special needs, assistance with meaningful employment in the Diocese of Arlington.

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From the Director's Desk...

Dear Friends,

FORE!!!

Its that time of year again...summer is winding down... the kids are heading back to school...and the Annual Porto Charities Golf Tournament is fast approaching!

Set for Friday, October 7th at the Regency at Dominion Valley in Haymarket, VA, foursomes and sponsorships are starting to fill up quickly so please check out the details below and join us for our 14th annual golf tourney. Now is the time for you, or your company, to step up and "Be a Hero". You probably look great in a cape!

Mark Your Calendars!!!

Bishop Burbidge will once again recognize October as Disability Awareness Month with an annual Mass - this year to be held on Sunday, October 9th at 11:00 am at St. Mark's Parish in Vienna.

As always, Porto Charities will assist in the celebration and host a reception immediately following the Mass in St. Mark's Activities Center. All are welcome!

4th Annual Porto Charities Golf Tournament. Be a Hero!!

Join us for a day of fun, and support the important work of

Porto Charities in the Arlington Diocese School District.

Don't delay! The field is filling up fast!

When: Friday, October 7, 2022

Where: Regency at Dominion Valley,

15351 Championship Drive, Haymarket, VA

Time: Registration opens at 8 am,

Shotgun Start at 9 am

Lunch immediately following golf

Cost: $125 per golfer, $500 per foursome

Includes lunch, beverages, and snacks

https://mailchi.mp/cua/14th-annual-porto-charities-golf-tournament-npabo5ce0z

Sponsorships are still available to promote your business

and volunteers needed for the event.

Questions? Stew McHie at stew.mchie@gmail.com

or call 703-638-8963.

Porto Charities Hosts 1st Inclusive Family Picnic

On July 23rd, families with children with disabilities in the Diocese of Arlington gathered at St. Anthony of Padua school for our 1st ever Inclusive Family Picnic.

Originally planned as an outdoor event, the oppressive heat (90s!) moved the event into St. Anthony's school cafeteria, where families ate together, and parents had an opportunity to meet other parents, while the children played.

Porto Charities' president, Leo Alonso, shared Porto's history and mission, as well as some of the projects being planned. Families then took turns sharing what brought them to the picnic, their kids' schooling journey, and their hopes for more inclusion in our Catholic schools.

The event was well received, and attendees expressed their desire for more events like this one. We are grateful to St. Anthony of Padua School for hosting it. St. Anthony is a Porto grant recipient, and is one of the few Catholic Schools in our Diocese currently offering a special education program for children with mild and moderate intellectual disabilities. We hope to see more families at our next event!

Inclusion Catalysts

Recognizing our Friends who have made a Significant Difference toward an Inclusive Community

Holy Family Catholic School

Dale City, VA

Holy Family Catholic School is an accredited, parochial school (Pre-K through 8 ) dedicated to promoting the established tradition of quality Catholic education in a Christ-centered community of faith.

The Catholic School of the future, rooted in richness of the Catholic tradition, will be a Christ-centered learning environment, focused on cultivating the potential of children and adults within the faith community. As an educational center where Gospel values are learned, embraced and integrated by all members, the Catholic School will be a center for life-long learning, which challenges and empowers faculty to assess the present to design the future. The Catholic School will create an integrated curriculum that accommodates the diversity of learners in a global society.

Art Bennett

PCI Board of Directors

Art Bennett is a licensed marriage and family therapist. He was a Vice President for international health at SAIC for 15 years. For 8 years he was the Executive Director and co-founder of the Alpha Omega Clinics in Virginia and Maryland which integrates mental health practices with the Catholic Faith.

He was the President & CEO of Catholic Charities overseeing the 22 counties of the Diocese of Arlington for 10 years. He and his wife, Laraine, have co-authored six books on marriage, parenting and communication.

He is a member of Blessed Sacrament Parish in Alexandria and has four adult children and eight grandchildren.

Our Mailing Address has Changed!

We have recently changed our mailing address. Our new address is:

Porto Charities, Inc.

10660 Page Ave, Unit 4446

Fairfax, VA 22038

Thank You for Supporting Porto Charities, Inc.!

Porto Charities Inc is a 501(c)(3) non-profit, charitable and educational organization (Tax ID #30-0544129).

Contributions to Porto Charities are tax deductible to the extent permitted by law.