Philanthropist remembered: ‘My dad would be humbled’
BROOKLYN HEIGHTS — A man who became well-known for bestowing charity on Catholic Charities was given a special, posthumous honor on Jan. 27.
That’s when a ceremonial ribbon was cut on the Robert Charles Golden Community Outreach Center for Catholic Charities of Brooklyn and Queens.
The center at 191 Joralemon Street was renovated and renamed for Golden, a longtime Catholic Charities of Brooklyn and Queens benefactor, who died in June 2020 at age 73.
Snipping the red ribbon was his wife, Maureen Moore, daughter, Kathleen, and son, Robert Jr.
Friends and admirers, joined by Catholic Charities staff and officials, filled the renovated space, which serves as a gateway to the organization’s services.
“I know my dad would be humbled by this honor,” his son, “Bobby,” told the audience. “He never felt that he deserved to be treated special, but from my family and for myself, we’re very touched by this dedication.”
The younger Golden is on the board of directors of Catholic Charities Neighborhood Services.
His father was born in 1946 in Bay Ridge. He attended St. Anselm’s School, Xaverian High School, and Fordham University, where he earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in business. Before retiring, he was the executive vice president of Prudential Financial, where he went to work in 1976.
But Golden was remembered during the ribbon-cutting as a man of faith, which inspired his support for Catholic Charities and other groups such as HeartShare Human Services, in which he served as vice-chair of the board of directors.
Golden also belonged to the Knights of the Order of St. Gregory the Great; Knights of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta, Knight, Grand Cross; The Equestrian Order of The Holy Sepulchre; and the Knights of Columbus.
His philanthropy for Catholic Charities was recognized with the organization’s Bishop Joseph M. Sullivan Corporate Ministry Award and the Bishop’s Humanitarian Award. Naming the renovated outreach center after Golden is his latest accolade from Catholic Charities.
The center is a one-stop-shop for emergency food assistance, homelessness prevention, and programs for children, youth, and families. It also has senior citizen services, mental health assistance, and immigration programs. It’s centrally located in downtown Brooklyn and with easy access to public transportation.
Praise for Golden also came from the master of ceremonies, former State Sen. Marty Golden — no relation — who is vice president of development for Catholic Charities of Brooklyn and Queens.
“Bob made that difference. He was here. He was part of it,” Marty Golden said of his involvement with the group. “Bob Golden never forgot the schools, the churches, his parishes, monasteries. …
“We’re very, very proud of him.”
