As we celebrate National Make-a-Will Month this August, there’s no better time to reflect on how a Catholic planned gift can secure your legacy while deepening your faith. At the Catholic Community Foundation, we’re here to guide you in creating a gift that honors your spiritual journey and supports the Church for generations.

What Is a Catholic Planned Gift?

A Catholic planned gift is a thoughtful way to support the Church through your estate plan, such as a bequest in your will, a trust, or a beneficiary designation. It’s a commitment to the future, ensuring your values live on through parishes, Catholic schools, or ministries you cherish. During National Make-a-Will Month, the Catholic Community Foundation encourages you to consider how this gift can reflect your faith. It’s a chance to make a lasting impact while planning wisely.

The Catholic Community Foundation has seen how these gifts transform communities. By including a Catholic planned gift in your will or trust, you’re not just giving—you’re building a legacy that strengthens the Church’s mission for years to come.

Why National Make-a-Will Month Matters

We believe in fostering the next generation of Catholic leaders at the Catholic Community Foundation through faith-based education. Catholic scholarships provide a powerful way to support students, blending academic opportunity with spiritual growth to shape lives and communities for the years to come.

The Power of Catholic Scholarships

Catholic scholarships open doors for students to attend Catholic schools, where faith and academics intertwine to form well-rounded leaders. These scholarships, supported by generous donors through the Catholic Community Foundation, cover tuition, books, or other expenses, ensuring that financial barriers don’t stand in the way of a transformative education. They’re an investment in young people who will carry Catholic values into the world.

The Catholic Community Foundation has seen the difference these scholarships make. By funding education, we’re not just helping students today—we’re nurturing future leaders who will strengthen our Church and communities with their faith and knowledge.

Strengthening Faith Through Education

A Catholic education is more than academics; it’s a journey of spiritual growth. Catholic scholarships enable students to learn in environments where prayer, service, and moral formation are part of daily life. This holistic approach shapes individuals who lead with compassion and integrity, reflecting the teachings of Christ in all they do. At the Catholic Community Foundation, we’re proud to support this mission.

Your faith is a guiding light, and a Catholic legacy gift lets that light shine for generations. At the Catholic Community Foundation, we help you create a gift that mirrors your spiritual journey, blending generosity with purpose to support the Church and its mission.

What Is a Catholic Legacy Gift?

A Catholic legacy gift is a planned donation, often made through your will, trust, or other estate plans, that supports the Church’s work beyond your lifetime. It’s a lasting commitment to the future of the parishes, schools, and ministries you hold dear. Whether through a bequest or a gift of assets, your faith becomes part of the Church’s future.

This kind of giving is deeply personal. It becomes a testament to a life of faith, creating a ripple effect that uplifts communities and inspires others.

The Spiritual Significance of Your Gift

A Catholic legacy gift is more than a financial decision, it’s a spiritual act rooted in stewardship. It entrusts the blessings you’ve received to God’s work, nurturing faith in others. Whether supporting parish outreach or a student’s Catholic education, your gift carries your devotion forward.

Thanks to the thoughtful generosity of an anonymous donor over 10 years ago and the ongoing stewardship of the Catholic Community Foundation, the Angel Scholarship for social work and justice continues to transform lives one student at a time. Ryleigh, now a sophomore at Arizona State University, is one such student. Learn about this scholarship’s impact on Ryleigh and how you can personalize your own legacy fund.

Inspired as a young girl at Ss. Simon and Jude Cathedral School, by the example of older students receiving faith-based awards, Ryleigh never imagined she would one day be honored in the same way. Last year, she was awarded the Angel Scholarship to support her studies in social work, peace, and justice, turning early inspiration into a lifelong calling. With the Foundation’s prudent and Catholic-based investment management, the scholarship fund endures, continuing to uplift students like Ryleigh, helping them translate Catholic values into compassionate action.

The Angel Scholarship is aptly named—by helping dedicated students fund their social work education, it supports a lifetime of loving service to others in need. This opportunity is for college-bound students pursuing an undergraduate degree in social work or peace and justice studies.

For Dr. Mary Frances Maloney, Catholic education isn’t just a value—it’s a legacy. She remembers her father’s words vividly:

“I would give the shirt off my back to give my kids a Catholic education.”

Inspired by that devotion, Dr. Maloney knew she wanted to do something lasting, something that would ensure generations of children could access the same faith-filled education that shaped her life. But how? She reached out to the Catholic Community Foundation!

Enter the Catholic Community Foundation. When she discovered that the Foundation could create a custom scholarship endowment using her IRAs and help direct those funds to Catholic schools in Phoenix, New York, and beyond, it blew her mind!

With the help of the Catholic Community Foundation, Dr. Maloney developed a plan that honors her wishes and maximizes the impact of her giving. Today, she’s using her Required Minimum Distributions (RMDs) to grow the scholarship fund, ensuring that her trust will continue to support it in the future.

Take a minute to explore how we can bring your vision to life.

People living paycheck to paycheck are aware that financial danger is looming. They move forward each day, tamping down the thoughts of “what if?” In 2022, 58-year-old Daniel* lost his job and found himself homeless, sleeping on different friends’ couches or in his car. Daniel’s “what if” became a reality.

Now, the combination of being homeless added to the complexity of Daniel’s long history of high blood pressure; he was no longer able to afford his blood pressure medication.

In September 2022, Daniel fell into the loving hands of Mission of Mercy Arizona (MOM), which assists people with difficulty accessing medical care. MOM says their product is love, and their vehicle is medicine.

Dr. Carie Barlow, a volunteer physician at a MOM clinic, said Daniel’s first blood pressure reading was 201/123, which is considered a medical crisis that can lead to a heart attack, stroke, or other life-threatening health problems. Dr. Barlow said they immediately started Daniel on antihypertensive drugs that controlled his blood pressure. Through the Target Blood Pressure Program, a collaborative effort with the American Heart Association, he received a free blood pressure monitor to help him track his condition.

Thanks to a generous grant from the Catholic Community Foundation, Amanda Hope Rainbow Angels brought smiles and strength to hundreds of children undergoing long-term medical treatment for life-threatening illnesses. By focusing not only on physical healing but also emotional and psychological well-being, the organization expanded its Comfort and Care Program with powerful results.

With the grant funds, Amanda Hope Rainbow Angels was able to purchase cutting-edge gaming equipment that transformed hospital rooms and treatment centers into joyful spaces of relief. The interactive gaming consoles and software provided an immersive escape from the harsh realities of cancer treatment and other life-threatening illnesses, offering kids a chance to simply be kids. For many, it meant a reprieve from the stress and fear of their daily medical routines, replacing it with laughter, connection, and a sense of normalcy.

Additionally, funds were allocated to enhance the organization’s sand tray therapy offerings. New interactive figurines were acquired to make play therapy more inclusive and accessible for children of all physical abilities. These carefully chosen materials helped foster independence, creativity, and emotional expression, ensuring that no child was left out of the healing experience.

When it comes to giving generously while staying strategic, a donor-advised fund is a powerful tool that makes it happen. At the Catholic Community Foundation, we’re excited to help you amplify your impact through this flexible, faith-driven approach to philanthropy, ensuring your gifts reflect your values and touch lives in meaningful ways.

Understanding the Donor-Advised Fund

A donor-advised fund is like a charitable savings account—you contribute assets, such as cash, stocks, or real estate, and then recommend grants to your favorite nonprofits over time. It’s a way to give thoughtfully, with the freedom to decide when and where your support goes while enjoying immediate tax benefits. We manage these funds at the Catholic Community Foundation carefully, ensuring your contributions grow and align with your vision for a stronger Church and community.

The beauty of a donor-advised fund lies in its simplicity and flexibility. Once you set it up with the Catholic Community Foundation, you can focus on the joy of giving without the administrative hassle, knowing your gifts are stewarded responsibly to support causes that matter most to you.

Tax Advantages That Enhance Your Giving

Stay Tuned for the Latest Updates!