Local Philanthropy Expert Elected To Board Of International Stewardship Council
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE We are pleased to announce that Marta Sweeney, Vice President and Chief Community Services Officer of The Catholic Foundation of Central Florida, has been elected to the Board of Directors of the International Catholic Stewardship Council (ICSC). ICSC is an international organization committed to Christian stewardship as a way of life to strengthen local communities. It shares resources, best practices, and hosts an annual conference promoting philanthropy throughout the Catholic Church. As a member of the ICSC board, which includes clergy and lay leaders, Marta is providing ICSC with organizational guidance and oversight and is a member of the Conference Planning Committee that is currently organizing ICSC’s annual conference this September in Orlando. “It is an honor…
The Importance of an Ethical Will (Legacy Letter) and How to Create One
Ethical wills, unlike legal wills, are not written by a lawyer; they are written by you. Also called legacy letters, these memorable keepsakes for your family or friends include life lessons, values, blessings, and hope for the future. Usually written by grandparents to their grandchildren and parents to their children, these legacy resources should be part of every person’s estate planning and can be read while a person is living or also after death. For Catholics hoping to transition their Catholic values and traditions to future generations, they are invaluable. Barry K. Baines, author of Ethical Wills: Putting Your Values on Paper, advises not to wait. In his book, he shares that as soon as you articulate your values, you…
2021 Priorities, Deepening Faith
Studies show that 80% of resolutions fail. Most often these failures are due to lack of clarity or unrealistic expectations. The challenges of 2020 have allowed us to rethink our businesses, our relationships, our routines and much more. As we begin a new year, there is still much uncertainty anticipated and reports state that recovery and a new normal will take years, not months. So rather than consider resolutions for the new year, why not consider priorities? With all the reconfiguring and reimagining from 2020, we have been able to see many aspects of our lives in a new perspective. The new normals are sure to include some of how we used to do things with the addition of the…
The Catholic Foundation Successfully Partnered With Donors To Rank Among Central Florida’s Largest Nonprofits
Press Contact: Rafael Gerena Director of Communications rgerena@cfocf.org 407-246-4888 Orlando, FL For the second consecutive year, the Orlando Business Journal (OBJ) has ranked The Catholic Foundation of Central Florida as one of the largest nonprofit organizations in Central Florida. The Catholic Foundation ranked 26th, capping a year when its board and staff adapted to meet the community’s unprecedented needs caused by the coronavirus pandemic. The Catholic Foundation is a philanthropic-and-investment organization that partners with generous donors to improve the quality of life for children, youth, adults and families throughout Central Florida, regardless of race or religion. It oversees more than $70 million in investments that are managed for growth and to respect Catholic social teaching. As a result of these…
Local Foundation Earns International Awards By Successfully Partnering With Donors Amid Challenging Year
Press Contact: Rafael Gerena Director of Communications rgerena@cfocf.org 407-246-4888 Orlando, FL – October 28, 2020 The Catholic Foundation of Central Florida distributed more than $2 million to support the local community, launched a new online donor portal and donor advised funds, and successfully partnered with generous donors, clergy and Catholic lay leaders to keep people spiritually connected amid the coronavirus pandemic this year, and earned three international philanthropy awards. The awards were recently announced by the International Catholic Stewardship Council (ICSC). ICSC is an international organization committed to Christian stewardship as a way of life to strengthen local communities. The Catholic Foundation won awards for Total Foundation Effort, Annual Appeal Video, and “Honorable Mention” for the Planned Giving category. This…
Local Philanthropy Leader Earns Chartered Advisor In Philanthropy Designation
Orlando, FL We are pleased to announce that Kimberlee Riley, President & CEO of The Catholic Foundation of Central Florida, has earned the Chartered Advisor in Philanthropy® (CAP®) professional designation from the Richard D. Irwin Graduate School of The American College of Financial Services (ACFS). The ACFS is the nation’s largest nonprofit educational institution devoted to financial services holding the highest level of academic accreditation and its faculty represents some of the foremost thought leaders in their profession. The CAP® program provides the knowledge and tools needed by professionals in the nonprofit and financial services fields in order to help clients reach their charitable giving objectives and also meet their estate planning and wealth management goals. Candidates for the CAP®…
Young Couple Creates Their Catholic Family Legacy
Ty McCormack and Kylan Maguire Ty McCormack and his fiancée, Kylan Maguire, were making plans for their wedding and future together, and near the top of their list was a discussion about estate planning. As a financial planner and son of an estate planning attorney, Ty understands the value of having all of one’s financial affairs in order at all times. He had also been taught, from a young age, the value of philanthropy and the belief that “as each one has received a gift, use it to serve one another as good stewards of God’s varied grace” (1 Peter 4:10). “I was blessed to have been raised in a Roman Catholic family where our faith came before anything else….
The Vogelpohl Family’s Philanthropic Journey: Growing Spiritually in Their Relationship with Jesus
Dave and Ann Vogelpohl grew up in different households, but shared similarities: Both grew up in loving families with three children and middle-class homes where their fathers were business owners. Their families did not have a lot of extra money but Dave and Ann experienced that they always found a way to give something. They shared another key similarity: both grew up Catholic, attending Mass weekly and on Holy Days, and praying the rosary and other devotions. They both also have youthful memories of using the children’s donation envelopes to make gifts to the churches where they were raised (Ann in Indianapolis, IN; Dave in Quincy, IL), and at Lent to the Catholic Relief Services rice bowl in a little…
The Catholic Foundation of Central Florida Inspires Giving To Respond to Needs Created by the COVID-19 Pandemic
Press Contact: Rafael Gerena rgerena@cfocf.org FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Orlando, FL The Central Florida community generously partnered with The Catholic Foundation of Central Florida to raise more than $40,000 in one occasion to support 88 parishes, schools and ministries who are serving in new ways since the arrival of the coronavirus pandemic. The donations were part of this month’s GivingTuesdayNOW philanthropy movement, which The Catholic Foundation rebranded as GivingCatholicNOW. The philanthropic efforts were in response to the needs created by the outbreak. The ministries include Catholic parishes and retreat centers which are ministering to families and individuals who are challenged with isolation and job insecurity. Catholic schools were largely supported as they have adapted to continue to provide Central Florida students with a rigorous…
Newly established Mercy Fund responds to needs
Press Contact: Madelyn Weed 407.246.7188 407.664.7856 (cell) mweed@cfocf.org FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Newly established Central Florida Catholic Mercy Fund responds to increased community needs Orlando, FL – March 24, 2020 The Catholic Foundation of Central Florida’s Board of Directors has approved and provided seed and match money to establish a new fund, Central Florida Catholic Mercy Fund, in response to the increased needs of the people in Central Florida. Kimberlee Riley, President and CEO, announced that The Catholic Foundation board approved an initial investment of $10,000 to seed the fund and an additional $15,000 to match donations to this fund. The Catholic Foundation’s Board Chairman, Tom Chandler, stated “As we’ve done before when our community was in need after Hurricane Maria,…