Welcome Our New Team Member: Natalia Bakurova
Natalia Bakurova joined the Foundation team this past month taking on the Senior Accountant position. Below Natalia shares a little bit about her life to introduce herself to our loyal patrons. Join us in welcoming Natalia Bakurova to the Foundation team! Tell me about yourself. Where are you from and how did you end up here at the Foundation? “I am a native Ukrainian. I have a wonderful and friendly family. I have been married for over 30 years and have 2 sons and an amazing grandson. After moving to America, I lived in a small town near Jacksonville and at the end of 2023 I moved to Orlando. I worked at the beginning of this year at H&R Block as…
The Concord Advisory Group, Ltd: Market Highlights
The Foundation utilizes Concord Advisory Group as our trusted partner for investment management services. We serve both organizations to provide annual income and financial wellness as well as individual donors to meet their philanthropic aspirations or legacy goals. Concord is an Investment Advisory Group with a strong focus in religious-based non-for-profit services providing strategic advice to staff, investment committee and board members to improve the results of our investment services. The Foundation’s investment services include endowment funds, Donor Advised Funds (DAFs), and two time-horizon based reserve funds each with their own targeted performance strategy. Concord has more than 30 years of experience assisting partners manage the balance between spending policy and corpus growth while navigating the challenging factors of SRI…
How The Catholic Foundation Supports Deacon’s Formation
Next month, Bishop Noonan will ordain 18 new men to the permanent diaconate. These men will each serve a different community in the diocese. Here at the Catholic Foundation of Central Florida, we help steward their lives mission by maintaining a Diaconate Reserve Fund. Deacon Joseph Gassman, Secretary of Leadership and Parish Life, established this fund in January 2020. A Reserve Fund enables wise management of money over a period of time in accordance with our Catholic faith. Through the help of our donors, this fund provides partial scholarships for deacon aspirants who cannot meet their financial obligations during formation. The fund also offers partial scholarship to deacons or their wives enrolling in courses to specify them in certifications that…
Join Us in Congratulating Sarah Pinto on Earning Her CAP® Designation
Join Us in Congratulating Sarah Pinto on Earning Her CAP® Designation Sarah Pinto CFRE, CAP® is the Director of Philanthropy at the Catholic Foundation of Central Florida (CFoCF). She recently went through a rigorous course, The Chartered Advisor in Philanthropy (CAP®), to be better equipped to lead donors to make the right philanthropic decisions. The American College of Financial Services grants the CAP® designation. This program equips non-profit professionals with comprehensive curriculums to meet their and their donors’ philanthropic goals. “Achieving the CAP® designation has been an enlightening and affirming journey. This program has deepened my understanding of philanthropy and has reenergized my approach to serving our donors and community as a fundraising professional.” Sarah Pinto CFRE, CAP®, Director of…
Wishing Farewell to a Valued Team Member: Jannah Szeibert
Wishing Farewell to a Valued Team Member: Jannah Szeibert Jannah joined the Catholic Foundation team two years ago when her husband relocated from California to Florida. This month, our team wished farewell to Jannah as they made their return to California. Jannah was a devoted member of the Community Services team, which mainly focuses on working closely with parishes and schools to enhance their financial wellness. Jannah said she wore many hats during her time working for the Foundation. She contributed to vital projects, such as Our Catholic Appeal, and generously offered her talents as a photographer for our organization. Though we are sad to see her go, we are thankful for the blessings of her hard work and dedication….
Embracing Spring as a Time of Rebirth
Spring is the season of renewal and growth where nature blossoms back to life all around us. It serves as a beautiful reminder of rebirth, a central theme in Catholic faith. Let us take a look at ways we can practice these concepts of growth through this spring season. Spiritual Renewal through Confession The Sacrament of Reconciliation beckons us during this time of the year, especially as we journey through lent. Confession offers us a chance to shed the weight of our shortcomings and, like a budding flower in the spring, emerge renewed. Take this time for personal reflection and spiritual growth, setting personal and spiritual goals for summertime. Almsgiving and Charity As Catholics, our hearts are always called to…
Celebrate Divine Mercy through Service and Compassion
Celebrate Divine Mercy through Service and Compassion Divine Mercy is a day to reflect on God’s love and compassion for all people, regardless of their sins. And every year on the Sunday after Easter, it calls to us to extend that same forgiveness to others. Each day can be a new opportunity to practice forgiveness and compassion. This can manifest through small acts of kindness, lending an attentive ear, or finding forgiveness for those who wronged you. It is important to remember that in serving others, we serve Christ Himself. Every step we take embodying these practices brings us closer to a better world. Click here to read the Chaplet of Divine Mercy.
Go Paperless for Our Catholic Appeal!
Go Paperless for Our Catholic Appeal! In the face of rising carbon dioxide levels, trees, God’s vital creation, become ever more essential. Paper production heavily relies on trees and encouraging paperless ways for donations, contracts, or transactions can help alleviate the pressure we put on trees. Building on this effort, our website, along with most other organizations, now offers an online option for gift donations, making paperless donations easier than ever. Here, we will take you step by step on how to make an online gift or pledge for Our Catholic Appeal (OCA). First, visit cfocf.org/oca — this is our main page for Our Catholic Appeal. It contains a wealth of information and videos about OCA, why your contribution is…
Invest with a Catholic Set of Mind
Invest with a Catholic Set of Mind As stewards of God’s gift, Catholic investors are called to ensure that our money supports ethical and responsible companies. The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) has released guidelines for socially responsible investments. These guidelines embody the Church’s teachings of human dignity, justice, peace and integrity of creation. They guide us towards investments that uphold these sacred values. We at the Catholic Foundation of Central Florida are blessed to announce that, as of 2021, we manage over $75 million in investments, with less than 0.5% potentially not complying with the USCCB guidelines. We help steward God’s creation through our investment social screening, which includes protecting the environment. As we continue to guide…
Make a Significant Contribution on Earth Day and Beyond
Make a Significant Contribution on Earth Day and Beyond Earth Day is a global celebration reminding us of our sacred duty to protect and nurture our common home as stewards of His creation. Today, let us discuss ways to live more ecologically conscious lives so we can better care for our planet. Find ways to carpool Gas emission is a major contributor to air pollution. Fellowship is central to our faith, and uniting with other parishioners to carpool to Mass exemplifies our collective commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Although carpooling once a week may seem small, two people carpooling already cuts that gas emission in half. Four people carpooling cut those gas emissions by 75%. It may seem small,…