Endowing Pro-Life Leadership Through Family Estate Gift
In 2005, pro-life student groups from across the state of Michigan gathered together on Michigan State University’s campus to establish a coalition to protect life on college campuses in Michigan. This newly established alliance of pro-life students named their group Protect Life Michigan.
Since then, the organization has grown with a staff of trained professionals to mentor students into exceptional pro-life leaders. Currently the organization serves thirty high school groups, twenty-two college groups, and three regional networks from cities across Michigan.
Their mission to build a new generation of leaders is threefold: to recruit passionate young people and train them for pro-life leadership, to educate youth on life issues and pregnancy resources, and to connect students to strengthen their impact.
Protect Life Michigan is building an army of pro-life defenders in places where the pro-life message is typically silenced. In colleges and high schools around the state, students are being equipped to defend the pro-life position and change the minds of their peers. Their presence on campus shows pro-life students that they are not alone and helps them turn their convictions into effective action to save lives.
Many student activists are transformed by the work and connections made through the training and advocacy provided by Protect Life Michigan. “As long as I have known Protect Life Michigan, I have never felt alone in this movement. Protect Life Michigan has taught me to know, love, and serve the person in front of me,” shared Mary Payne, a student.
In the 2020-2021 year, Protect Life Michigan reached over 316,543 people with the pro-life message, provided training to 4,135 students, and led 365 hours of outreach.
College students, however, are not the only ones getting involved in Protect Life Michigan’s work. To help sustain Protect Life’s ministry and amplify its growth, an anonymous donor generously created the Protect Life Michigan Endowment Fund.
“The gift of this endowment was made possible through the estates of my father and grandmother. In the midst of a long depressing season, including a miscarriage, other deaths in the family, health concerns, a drastic change in family circumstances, and professional setbacks, I recognized that a portion of the wealth in these estates should be used to help restore a vibrant culture of life.”
The donor wanted to ensure that the pro-life message and the mission of Protect Life Michigan continues for generations to come. “My life began through an unplanned pregnancy in a college town, and the reason I’m alive today is because of pro-life advocates,” the donor shared.
An endowment fund is an investment for the future. The charitable contribution is invested, grows, and each year, Protect Life Michigan can receive a portion of the investment. The remainder is then reinvested to provide ongoing resources for the future.
“Protect Life Michigan is proud to partner with the Catholic Foundation of Michigan to manage our endowment fund and allow us to ensure the pro-life message is brought to campus for years to come,” shared Christen Pollo, Executive Director.
“Having an endowment means that Protect Life Michigan has a steady stream of support for years so it can continue to build a pro-life community in the Mitten. Donors give to the fund through the Catholic Foundation and they, in turn, ensure it is only invested in life-affirming means,” shared Christen Pollo, Executive Director
Please join the Catholic Foundation in supporting this vital mission by donating to this life-giving fund. By giving to the Protect Life Michigan Endowment Fund, you’re ensuring that voices for the unborn are raised up for generations.