AUBURN GRESHAM — The folks living at the St. Leo Campus for Veterans have more than just local pride riding on the Blackhawks. They have some citrus, too.
In a bet between Archbishop Blase J. Cupich of Chicago and his counterpart in Florida, Bishop Robert N. Lynch, if the Hawks beat the Tampa Bay Lightning, St. Leo will get cases of grapefruit.
(In the unlikely event Chicago loses, Cupich will send pizzas to a homeless shelter in Clearwater, Fla.)
Said Lynch in a statement: "Chicago could use some Florida sunshine. If by some miracle the Blackhawks win, we will send our beautiful grapefruit to the veterans at St. Leo's Residence."
The campus for veterans at 7750 S. Emerald Ave. is a Catholic Charities facility designed to "keep veterans safe, off the streets, and treated with dignity," according to the archdiocese.
The campus includes a health clinic, the John Paul II residence for people with physical disabilities and a job resource center. The St. Leo Veterans Garden contains five distinct areas honoring the Army, Marines, Air Force, Coast Guard and Navy.
St. Leo's residence features 141 apartments for veterans facing homelessness.
At its dedication in 2007, St. Leo campus, a joint project of Catholic Charities and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, was described as a first-of-its-kind private-public effort in the nation.
"With a continuum of health care, supportive social services and employment resources, residents receive comprehensive services that enable them to maintain their dignity and improve their quality of life," according to St. Leo's website.
"Agency case managers act as the bridge between services and housing to ensure a continuity of care. The innovative integration of services helps to stabilize and improve the lives of formerly homeless veterans. They leave the long-term transitional housing facility with restored self-sufficiency and a renewed sense of pride," according to the St. Leo organization.
There are an estimated 18,000 homeless veterans in Chicago.
At the time of the facility's dedication, the White House described it as "No typical Veterans Affairs institution."
"Photographs of Pope John Park II and Pope Benedict XVI line the walls, interspersed with soaring eagles and inspirational quotes — an example of how ... [it is] possible for religious organizations to partner with government without being forced to change their religious mission statements or take down religious symbols," according to a White House statement at the time.
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