Welcome Elle Voorhees!
We’re so excited to welcome Elle Voorhees to foundation as our Stewardship Director. Her background includes 20+ years of marketing experience in the education services and homebuilding industries. Her skills include strategic planning, account and project management, traditional and digital media marketing, performance analysis, and event coordination. Welcome Elle! We’re so glad to have you on our team.
Foundation Hosts International Catholic Stewardship Council Attendees
It was our distinct pleasure to host lunch for the some of the Orlando attendees of the ICSC (International Catholic Stewardship Council). Clergy, Foundation team members and other stewardship professionals from around the diocese attended. Some of the attendees were recipients of a grant scholarship from the Catholic Foundation. We were also honored to receive honorable mention at ISCS for Total Foundation effort AND the Excellence Award for Planned Giving. We are already looking forward to next year’s ICSC in October in Orlando!
Magnify – a Ministry of the Catholic Diocese of Orlando
Years ago, Sister Elizabeth Marie Stoup SSJ envisioned a ministry to magnify the abilities of those served and return to God what we receive from Him. Sister Elizabeth recognized that Churches, employers, schools, and other civic and community organizations are transformed when they are ready to welcome the gifts of individuals with disabilities. That vision established Bishop Grady Villas in 2004; a residential community where adults with intellectual disabilities could live as independently as possible while receiving support to be safe and healthy. Since its inception, Bishop Grady Villas has worked diligently to support individuals with disabilities to live independently in their community, develop life skills, and work toward competitive and self-employment opportunities. The ministry primarily serves people with disabilities…
Ethics Awareness Month
This month we celebrate Ethics Awareness Month to highlight the importance of ethics in philanthropy. This initiative has been led by the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) and is in its fourth year of elevating ethical practices in our communities. AFP was founded in 1960 to create a code of ethics for fundraising professionals and adopted its official Code of Ethical Standards in 1964 helping to foster the development and growth of professionals and enhance philanthropic initiatives. The 25 standards in AFP’s Code address issues such as privacy, stewardship of funds, professional responsibilities and compensation. October is a great time to focus on ethics because it kicks off the ‘giving season’ in the last quarter of the calendar year when…
Foundation Offices Sustain Water Damage
The Catholic Foundation of Central Florida was not immune to Hurricane Ian impacts. Our offices sustained considerable water damage, but thankfully very little property loss. The result of the water incursion is that we’ve temporarily been relocated. Some foundation team members are elsewhere in the chancery building, others are working remotely from home. We’re grateful to our diocesan partners who have graciously welcomed us to our temporary homes while repairs are underway. The cleanup and restoration will last into the new year when we hope to return. Thank you for keeping us in your prayers, we are committed to continuing the work of the foundation as if nothing ever happened.
Ways to Give Smarter At the End of 2022
Article by Russell James, J.D., Ph.D., CFP® 1. Take advantage of inflation. The price of everything seems to be going up! If you own assets that have gone up in value too, this can also increase your capital gains taxes. However, when you donate those appreciated assets instead of cash, you avoid paying those taxes. 2. Make a charitable swap: Give appreciated investments WITHOUT changing your portfolio Donating appreciated assets creates TWO tax benefits. The tax deduction is the same size as a gift of cash. (The asset must have been owned for a year or more.) PLUS, you avoid paying capital gains tax. With a charitable swap, you donate old shares of stock and immediately buy new shares in…
MINISTRY SPOTLIGHT : Trinity High School
The Albert V. and Elizabeth B. Colangelo Fine Arts Center will provide a beautiful space for the entire school community to gather for Eucharistic and liturgical celebrations and to experience the exhilaration of live performance and visual arts events. Thanks to the generosity of Mr. Albert V. Colangelo who wanted to honor his wife’s memory by making a transformational gift to benefit the community. The Colangelo’s were dedicated members of the Catholic community in Ocala and Mr. Colangelo is excited to join with other donors to realize a dream benefitting the school and community for years to come. “We have been blessed to receive this transformational gift which allows us to move forward with this project. The new performing arts…
Where Two Or More Are Gathered: 2022 Diocese of Orlando Priests’ Convocation
The Catholic Foundation of Central Florida had a presence at the convocation, greeting attendees with information about the programs and services provided by the Foundation, and sponsoring one of the dinners. Kimberlee Riley, Foundation President said, “I’m always humbled by the devotion and dedication that our diocesean priests bring to the faithful and our greater community. They not only serve their local parish, they strive to feed the poor, clothe the naked, and serve as a beacon of hope and inspiration through Christ. Being able to walk with them on part of their journey is a tremendous honor.” We can’t thank our diocesan priests enough for the vital work they do within our parishes, schools, and throughout the diocese. Your…
Announcing Our 2022 Fall Event Grant Awards!
Funded by The Catholic Foundation of Central Florida Foundation Endowment, we are honored to announce the following grant awards: Fall Event Sponsorships Bishop Moore Catholic High School – Legacy Gala Blessed Trinity Catholic Church – Story of My Life Production Benefit Catholic Charities of Central Florida/Pathways to Care – Soup Bowl Supper Father Lopez Catholic High School – Boots and Beer Magnify of Central Florida – Harvest Ball Resurrection Catholic School – Home for the Holidays Benefit San Pedro Spiritual Development Center – Family Live Nativity St. Joseph Catholic Church, Palm Bay – A Christmas Carol Production Benefit St. Mary Catholic School – 15th Annual Fall Festival St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic School – Crusader Crawl 5K St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic…
Donor Spotlight : Meet Jean Reynolds
Jean Reynolds grew up on Long Island and studied English at St. Joseph’s College for Women in Brooklyn. In 1973 she moved to Manhattan with her husband, and although they loved city life, they were not fond of the cold winters, so they made their way down to Central Florida. Jean pursued her love for English and obtained her doctorate from the University of South Florida in 1988. She was a professor of English at Polk State College and also spent time teaching at a police academy and a prison school. Bernard Shaw, author of Pygmalion, inspired Jean’s passion in writing, and she went on to publish twobooks about him in addition to many articles and reviews. She is an…