Love of family is reflected in giving to children and families in need

(Editor’s note: Wanting to keep their contributions private, the husband and wife mentioned in this story requested that their real names not be included.)

Special to The Criterion

Nancy and Bob have shared a legacy of giving to family throughout their marriage.

“We have been married for 53 years and have three children—two sons and one daughter,” said Nancy. “We also have nine grandchildren,” said Bob. For many years, the couple has attended an Indianapolis area parish.

Bob and Nancy enjoyed thriving careers. Both recently retired, they spend time visiting their children and grandchildren who live out of state. They frequently attend their grandchildren’s rites of passage such as baptisms, confirmations and graduations. This summer, they took four grandchildren on a three-day Disney cruise.

In 1995, Nancy and Bob established a family endowment fund through the archdiocesan Catholic Community Foundation (CCF). They liked the idea of an endowment fund because it grows in perpetuity.

“The distributions of the fund are used to support children and families in need through the ministry of Catholic Charities in Indianapolis,” said Bob.

Nancy and Bob are grateful that God has blessed them with healthy and loving children and grandchildren. They are also thankful that they have been financially successful.

“This is our way of giving back for the blessings we have received,” said Nancy.

“We believe it is only right to give back,” added Bob.

Each year, they donate additional funds to grow the family endowment. “It is especially important to us that children in need will be served through our family endowment fund for years to come,” said Bob.

A strong belief in giving back to children and families who are less fortunate and a love of family sparked Nancy and Bob’s desire to establish an endowment fund. By funding the family endowment fund annually, they continue to preserve their faith and create a lasting legacy for future generations.

It also is a win-win situation for the ministry of Catholic Charities in Indianapolis. Family endowment funds allow benefactors, such as Nancy and Bob, to choose the ministry areas that are closest to their hearts and will benefit the Archdiocese of Indianapolis in perpetuity, noted Ellen Brunner, CCF director.

“CCF has many options to support the work of the Church and financially help the people we serve,” Brunner added. “If given the opportunity, most of us would like to leave a lasting legacy to the ministries that mean the most to us. Through more tax-favored ways of giving, more of us can experience the joy of making a difference.”
 

(For more information about establishing an endowment fund with the Catholic Community Foundation, please contact Ellen Brunner at 317-236-1482, 800-382-9836, ext. 1482, or e-mail her at ebrunner@archindy.org. She will be happy to assist you. You may also visit their planned giving website at www.archindy.org/plannedgiving.) †