Ben & Jen Support a Friend in D.C.

By Lisa Ingrassia

09/23/2004 at 04:05 PM EDT

The no-longer-secret link between Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner? Joe Kindregan, 16, a friend of both stars who was diagnosed with the degenerative neurological disease ataxia-telangiectasia in 1996.

Affleck met Kindregan in 1998, when the young man visited the set of Forces of Nature; Garner, in turn, was introduced to Kindregan by Affleck, when Kindregan came to the Daredevil set in 2003.

Affleck and Garner cohosted an auction Tuesday in Washington, D.C., to benefit the A-T Children's Project; with Kindregan by their side, they helped raise $350,000.

"Part of tonight is to benefit A-T, and part of it is so Joe can meet chicks," joked Affleck, who keeps in touch with Kindregan through regular e-mails, to a reporter. Added Garner, who took Kindregan to her 13 Going on 30 premiere in April: "(Joe) is just the sweetest, kindest person."

And what about the other much discussed link between Affleck and Garner? Though they entered the auction building together, the two spent most of the evening apart. Are they dating? A source close to the two – that is, Kindregan – says, "Maybe."