Marta Sweeney celebrated her 30th Anniversary
Marta Sweeney celebrated her 30th anniversary in May of this year with her service beginning in 1992 with the Diocese of Orlando Development Office. In 2008 when the Foundation was established through the Synod process, Marta was asked to transition to the Foundation. She was a key support in the Alive Christ diocesan-wide campaign which raised $135 million. Marta has been key in several areas of the Foundation including supervising our data team and transitioning our data management from spreadsheets to the robust Blackbaud Raiser’s Edge system. When Marta assumed leadership of Our Catholic Appeal (originally titled Based On Love (BASE)) in 1977 there were 63 parishes, 18,000 donors and a goal of $650,000. Under her leadership the annual appeal…
Elisha Gonzalez, Women Who Move The City
One of our board Directors, Elisha Gonzalez, was recognized by the Orlando Magazine as one of the “Women who moves de city”, highlighting in a memorable article her valuable work and impact in our community. We are very proud to have Elisha as one of our board leaders, bringing innovating and caring strategies to our Catholic Foundation, always with the purpose to keep building the Kingdom of God in Central Florida. Elisha Gonzalez of FAIRWINDS Foundation: Women Who Move The City Meet Elisha Gonzalez, Executive Director at FAIRWINDS Foundation May 31, 2022 Orlando Magazine Staff Financial illiteracy is negatively impacting millions of Americans every day. Without a clear understanding of financial knowledge and confidence, personal financial skills…
Talking With Advisors About Your Charitable Giving
Charity comes from the heart but giving is a financial decision and these decisions ideally take consideration and planning. Learning how to give strategically improves how we manage our resources. Traditionally financial advisors have been trained to focus on how we build our wealth, but these financial strategies don’t necessarily help us give. Similarly, legal advisors have been trained to focus on how we distribute our wealth in a traditional method of only giving to heirs. To maximize your giving it is important to speak with your advisors about your charitable aspirations. Once they understand your goals they can guide you on the most tax-effective ways to give and can reduce costs associated with giving. Even if you are…
Saving our Global Common Home
The Church offers crucial and valuable principles to apply in the midst of a complex and powerful economy. This teaching provides a prudent strategy where decisions can be made by following the moral teaching of the Church. From a Catholic perspective, ethical and socially responsible investing requires us to evaluate specific investments in terms of how those companies or entities protect life, promote human dignity, act justly, enhance the common good and provide care for the environment. Two principles of stewardship guide this path of socially responsible investing: Exercise responsible financial stewardship by obtaining a reasonable rate of return on investments to meet fiduciary responsibilities and mission Ethical and social stewardship in investments involve strategies based on Catholic moral principles….
Good Friday, To Become more Beautiful
Part of the beauty of faith, of Catholicism, of our Church, is that it’s not a one-day event or place. Our faith shapes us into the people we are. As we journey through life, we keep the Church within us in our daily actions. The traditions we bring into our home draw us closer to God and open the door for the liturgical seasons to be reflected in every part of our lives. Our homes are called to be domestic sanctuaries of the Church and liturgical living brings this intention to our door. Liturgical living does not need to be some grand display or immediate all-encompassing change. As I have started my own journey to include more liturgical living in…
Our CEO, Kimberlee Riley is now member of the Consortium of Catholic Foundation’s Steering Committee
Our President and CEO, Kimberlee Riley, was welcomed as the newest Consortium of Catholic Foundation’s Steering Committee member, in February. Kimberlee was appointed to the Steering Committee upon the retirement of one of the founding Steering Committee members, Mark Guyol of Saint Louis, MO. Kimberlee has been an active member of the Catholic Foundation professional network and serves as a speaker for the community on visionary leadership. The Consortium of Catholic Foundations seek to accelerate the leadership effectiveness and mission impact of the Catholic Foundation, through a combination of technology, driven access to information, best practices and learning experiences. The vision of the Consortium is to develop Leaders of Catholic Foundations in the U.S. for a greater impact…
From Dust, by: Teresa Ell
When I was growing up, I always believed Lent was a season of sorrow. There is an image presented to us in school that Lent is a time of dismay as people focus on penance and fasting, all to prepare for Easter. It can become easy to see Lent as a time to remember our regrets. In recent years, there has been a growing shift in how we discuss Lent. Instead of dreary images, or an emphasis on suffering, priests across the country are encouraging people to view Lent in a new way. Primarily, they are doing so by expressing excitement for Lent. On Ash Wednesday Catholics across the country receive ashes on their forehead to mark the start of…
Getting To Know Lori Tolland
Getting to Know: Lori Tolland (Board of Directors Member) Why did you want to serve on The Catholic Foundation board of directors? After prayerful discernment, I felt that working with The Catholic Foundation would be a significant way to serve and be a steward of my faith. I find joy, while inspiring others to increase giving to fund God’s work and impact lives. You serve on the Executive Committee and as Chairman of the Development Committee – how are you able to serve in these roles in a unique way and what are your goals in these roles? Each director brings their own special talent and gifts to the table. I believe my experience with fundraising efforts in the past…
To Love & Be Loved in Return by Teresa Ell
February 14th: Valentine’s Day. All across the U.S. the secular world focuses on Valentine’s Day as the perfect holiday to show how much you love someone. Florists and gift stores overflow with red and pink accessories. Chocolates and cards line the shelves or greet you on display when you enter the grocery store. Restaurants are filled with people celebrating those they love in their life. Valentine’s Day has become a holiday centered on romance under the guise of love. But to understand why love is so special, we must look beyond our current celebrations, and instead look at why this holiday is celebrated at all. February 14th: St. Valentine’s Feast Day. The story of St. Valentine is bizarre and not…
Mercifully Assisting Our Neighbors
As hundreds of children and families in Central Florida face potential eviction at the end of next month, the book of Deuteronomy (15:7-8) shares the Lord’s wisdom for our community: “If one of your kindred is in need in any community in the land which the LORD, your God, is giving you, you shall not harden your heart nor close your hand against your kin who is in need. Instead, you shall freely open your hand and generously lend what suffices to meet that need.” The scripture provides a biblical framework when considering how to assist the thousands of people and families in Florida who could find themselves homeless when the federal eviction moratorium ends July 31. The federal order…