On September 20, 2021, the community lost a beloved leader, a man of faith, John Tierney. John was one of the very first Foundation Founders’ Circle members and truly lived his Catholic faith.
I met John in 2007 during my time as the executive director of the Jesuit Volunteer Corps: Midwest. Upon our first meeting I was impressed with his gentle approach, kind spirit, and sincere wisdom. Since that time, he has been a role model, supporter, mentor, and friend.
John taught me and all those around him the gifts of patience, commitment, love of family, and a dedication to building up the community. He was one of the smartest humans I’ve ever known, as well as the humblest. He will be missed by many.
All of us at the Catholic Foundation of Michigan ask you to remember John and his family during this time of difficult transition.
It is our prayer that he is welcomed home with joyful, loving arms.
Learn more about John and his impact here: John Tierney
Impact Grant Empowers Hope and Collaboration for Pregnant Mothers
Malta Dental and Medical Clinic : Providing Care and Building Community in Detroit
When the COVID pandemic struck Detroit, its victims included many whose only health care resource was the Malta Dental and Medical Clinic (Malta Clinic), a ministry begun by the Order of Malta, whose charism is to defend the Catholic faith and care for the sick and the poor.
Catholic Foundation Team assembling hygiene kits during their Fall Service Day of Mercy at the Malta Dental Clinic.
Like many other Catholic Foundation Grant Recipients, the Malta Clinic was forced to shut down as part of the effort but volunteers continued to care for the homeless by providing personal hygiene kits designed by Ed Jelonek D.O., the clinic’s medical director. Eighteen hundred kits were distributed to quarantine shelters and street mission teams by 60 volunteers.
Now, thanks to a new partnership with Catholic Charities of Southeastern Michigan (CCSEM), the Malta Clinic shares the Center for the Works of Mercy (Center) building at 8642 Woodward Ave., Detroit, 48202. The additional services provided at the Center are a food pantry, clothes closet, returning citizen (prisoner) outreach ministry, case management, behavioral health therapy, senior volunteering program and Project Hope.
The Malta Clinic has state-of-the-art equipment and provides quality care for the uninsured. Dental care includes dental examinations, dental radiographs, extractions, fillings, and teeth replacement with dentures and partials. Medical care includes physical examinations and care (including prescription drugs) for chronic diseases, diabetes, blood pressure, asthma and other conditions. The patients are the homeless, elderly and veterans.
Ed Jelonek, D.O and Mary Therese Hammer, R.N.,C.N.A
All care is provided by volunteers: Physicians, dentists, dental hygienists, nurses, physician assistants, pharmacy students from Eugene Applebaum School of Pharmacy and dental/dental hygiene students from the University of Detroit Mercy. The Malta Clinic also provides volunteering opportunities to premed/dental/pharmacy students, who need volunteer hours to apply to professional schools. Wayne State Medical Students come to the clinic every Wednesday. The Malta Clinic will expand services by hosting eye clinics and podiatry care. Nancy Harmon, R.D.H., the Clinic’s Dental Director adds, “We are always in need of volunteers! If you are interested in volunteering, please contact maltadentaldirector@gmail.com.”
Clinic President Thomas Larabell sees great potential for the Malta Clinic to serve more patients through its location with the Center. “The people who come to us don’t have just one, but many issues,” he observes. “They need food, clothing, health care, jobs, and a reason to hope. The Center’s clients will need health care, and our patients will need what the Center can offer.”
Malta staff with patient
A number of generous donors, responding to the Malta Clinic’s capital campaign, made it possible for the Clinic to get off to a strong start in its new home. Working with the Catholic Foundation of Michigan (Foundation) and opening a donor-designated fund has helped establish the Malta Clinic’s present and future work.
Thomas Larabell adds, “The Foundation takes care of many of our administrative concerns about donations, and offers us an additional way to advertise and promote our ministry.”
Nancy Harmon notes that the clinic reaches those who perhaps most need reassurance of God’s love and mercy because of the barriers they have faced. “Everyone is broken, but not all wounds are visible,” she observes. “We minister to those who are wounded on multiple levels: Physically, emotionally, spiritually. Through the Clinic’s work, we’re treating not only health needs, but also showing people that they are loved. That’s the most important work we do.”
Please join the Catholic Foundation in supporting this vital mission by giving to the designated fund. Through your generous gift, you help provide the joy of a smile and make a direct impact on someone in need.
A Tax Efficient Way to Support our Faith: Give From Your IRA
If you are over the age of 70½ years, you can benefit from a simple way to support your faith community through the Catholic Foundation and receive tax benefits in return. You can give up to $100,000 in any given calendar year from your IRA directly to a qualified charitable institution without having to pay income taxes on the dollars.
This popular gift option is commonly called the IRA Charitable Rollover, but you may also see it referred to as a qualified charitable distribution, or QCD, for short.
Why Would I Donate from My IRA?
Your gift will start doing good immediately, allowing you to see the difference your donation is making today.
You pay no income taxes on the gift. The transfer generates neither taxable income nor a tax deduction, so you benefit even if you do not itemize your deductions.
If you have not yet taken your required minimum distribution for the year, a qualified charitable distribution (QCD) can satisfy all or part of that requirement.
Your smart gift provides a significant gift to support a charitable cause important to you.
How it Works:
Make your gift of up to $100,000 by directly transferring IRA assets to the Catholic Foundation. You must be 70 1/2 years old. If married, each spouse can transfer up to $100,000 from his or her IRA.
Your gift can be placed into a charitable fund in your name, the name of your family, or in honor of any person or organization you choose. We handle all administrative details.
Your gift can be placed into an endowment that is invested and will grow over time. It will forever make grants that address community needs.
Choose a Fund:
Although Donor Advised Funds are not eligible to receive QCDs per IRS regulations, the Catholic Foundation has several alternatives for donors to consider:
Establish a Granting Fund — Focus your faithful gift on a cause important to you. The Catholic Foundation will award grants to programs addressing your specific interest area (e.g. pastoral, health, social).
Endowed or Designated Funds — Support the work of a specific ministry or organization with long-term income. The ministry will also receive the planned giving and investment management services of the Catholic Foundation.
Frequently Asked Questions
I’ve already named the Catholic Foundation as the beneficiary of my IRA. What are the benefits of making a gift today? By making a gift this year of up to $100,000 from your IRA, you are jump-starting the legacy and giving yourself the joy of seeing your philanthropic vision come true.
I’m turning 70 1/2 in a few months. Can I make this gift now? No. The legislation requires you to reach age 70 1/2 by the date you make the gift.
When do I need to make my gift? We must receive your gift by Dec. 31 for your donation to qualify for this year. If you have check-writing privileges on your IRA account, please mail your check by Dec. 15 to ensure time for delivery.
Next Steps:
Contact the Catholic Foundation at 248-204-0332 for additional information on giving an IRA gift.
Consult with your tax advisor or your IRA administrator. Contact us for a sample letter to your IRA plan administrator.
Request that your IRA administrator make a direct transfer to the Catholic Foundation or have the administrator send a check from your account to the Foundation.
Legal Name:Catholic Foundation of Michigan
Address:1145 W. Long Lake Rd. #210, Bloomfield Hills, MI 48302
Federal Tax ID #: 81-4107324
Here at the Catholic Foundation of Michigan, we want to help you give charitably, in a way that is meaningful to you. We work with individuals, couples, and families who want to personally make a difference in the lives of others. If you’re interested in learning more, please reach out!
Consult with your tax planner or financial advisor before making any decisions regarding your IRA account. This information is not a substitute for expert legal, tax, or other professional advice, and we strongly encourage donors to work with your professional advisors to determine the impact of making a QCD on your particular situations.
The partnership developed after a home enthronement by the Men of the Sacred Hearts in the home of the school’s founders, David and Alejandra Miller. After the Millers shared the story of founding the classical high school, the idea to create a student club and character development program came to life. “The most beautiful part of all of this is we were simply having our home enthroned and we— the men and ourselves — felt this was a grace from Our Lady to bring us together,” Alejandra Miller said.
After that graced evening, the Chesterton Men of the Sacred Hearts Honor Society was created and several students joined in an effort to grow in virtue, prepare for Catholic manhood, lead spiritually in the school, and participate in the home enthronement ministry of Men of the Sacred Hearts.These students met weekly with David Tay, the Executive Director of the Men of the Sacred Hearts, to review the history of the organization, the 12 Promises from Jesus to St. Mary Margaret, and also role-played a home enthronement.
Oliver, Gabriel, Patrick, Stephen, Louis, John, and Peyton of the Chesterton Men of the Sacred Hearts Honor Society, after they completed their first solo home Enthronement of the Sacred Heart of Jesus at the Headmaster’s Home on April 30, 2021.
After their first enthronement, one of these students, Peyton, reflected that he felt a close connection to the family as they prayed for them before each decade of the Holy Rosary. Each Chesterton student had some classroom exposure to the important action of praying a personal intention for each family member before each decade.
Patrick, another student, observed that he entered into a “deeper sense of community among my fellow classmates.” As the Chesterton classmates worked together conducting the Home Enthronement of the Sacred Heart of Jesus in their first home, it was clear that they bonded as they helped one another through it. Louis commented about the event, “I was very content that everyone was in unity with prayer, and I bet our Blessed Mother was smiling down on us.”
These student leaders now seek to take the incoming students of Chesterton Academy of Our Lady of Guadalupe under their mentorship and show them how to conduct a home Enthronement of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.
We at the Catholic Foundation are overjoyed to support both Chesterton Academy of Our Lady of Guadalupe and the Men of the Sacred Hearts organizations in their holy partnership and future ministry. You can join us in support of their beautiful work in the community by giving to the funds they hold at the Catholic Foundation.
As the 2021-2022 school year begins, our communities in southeast Michigan continue to feel the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. Some have faced health challenges or lost loved ones to the virus, and many more have experienced economic impacts. For families who value quality, Christ-centered education and have also faced financial struggles over the past 18 months, it has been difficult to continue prioritizing tuition payments.
The Catholic Foundation is grateful for generous supporters who understand how important it is to provide the opportunity for all students to receive an excellent education grounded in Catholic belief and practice.
In 2020, aware of the financial difficulties some families were facing, a small group of donors and the Archdiocese of Detroit helped opened two scholarship funds. These funds have grown and are providing increased opportunities for students this fall.
Through the growth of these two funds, the Foundation awarded 96 students from 27 schools across the Archdiocese of Detroit, totaling roughly $250,000, a 62% increase from last year’s inaugural scholarship awards.
One parent of a scholarship recipient shared, “The grants I received for my son and daughter will help alleviate the stress of coming up with the full tuition amount every month. Sending my children to St. Anne has been one of the greatest decisions I’ve ever made; St. Anne is truly our second family. Your generosity is a huge blessing, and I am forever grateful for this gift.”
The coordinated work of the Foundation, the scholarship committee, and supporters in the community has led to changed lives for students and an increased sense of working together to see students thrive in the Catholic school environment. Christina Shabo, the scholarship administrator for the Catholic Foundation, observed that “one of the unexpected gifts of the Foundation’s scholarship process is connecting with many dedicated principals and administrators from our local Catholic schools. The care and attention they put in everything they do is so inspiring and it is an honor to support them, their schools, and partner in this unique way.”
The scholarships are a fruit of the community partnering to share the Gospel in action. Chairman of the Catholic Foundation’s Grant and Impact Committee Anthony Schena reflected, “The Grant and Impact committee was amazed at the faith of parents who applied for the scholarships on behalf of their children. In the face of tremendous challenges, their faith in God strengthens them to prevail. These parents want their children to be surrounded by that faith every day and are willing to make any level of personal sacrifice to keep their children in Catholic schools.”
Quality, faith-based education is invaluable, shares one grateful parent. “We have eight children, and all are attending Catholic schools. We value our kids’ Catholic education and choose it over trips to Disney or new vehicles, in order to allow them to thrive in the wonderful experiences a Catholic education can provide. Thank you so much for your consideration and generosity.”
Anyone can contribute to these scholarships and multiply the impact these funds will have. The gift of a Catholic education pays dividends for generations to come. In a season where we have had to rely on the power of community, you too can support these faithful families and our Catholic schools.
The Catholic Foundation is proud to celebrate those who have been a part of this unique opportunity–both the students whose lives are transformed through access to Catholic education, and the donors who were empowered to give generously to sustain Catholic education in southeast Michigan.
Individuals can make a gift to these existing scholarship funds in any amount and make a difference. Give online below or contact the Foundation staff at 248-548-3020.
Supporters can also create a scholarship fund that is both unique and personal, based on specific goals. Examples could be tuition assistance for students at a particular school, students interested in STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) or the arts. Scholarship funds can be opened with a gift of $25,000 or more.
Memory of Beloved Brothers Lives on Through MDA Camp Fund
For 70 years, the Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA) has been committed to transforming the lives of people living with muscular dystrophy, ALS, and related neuromuscular diseases. Each year thousands of children and young adults learn vital life skills and gain independence at summer camp and through recreational programs, at no cost to families.
In the wake of the pandemic last year, MDA’s traditional in-person summer camps pivoted to virtual, providing nearly 750 campers with crafts, community, and skill-building from the safety of their homes. Despite the physical distance, reunions took place, new connections were made, and signature programs were created to maintain the feeling of camp and deliver campers’ favorite week of the year.
This summer, MDA Summer Camp’s virtual experience returned with a new theme, appropriately named “The Great Escape.” MDA campers are invited to break away from their everyday routines to try new activities and interact with fellow campers from all over the country. Each day of the week featured a unique topic with related activities and adventures. Participants also receive a supply box with materials, camp apparel, arts and craft items, and more, to enhance the fun as they gain confidence and independence.
The engaging “camp in a box” is supported by the Ronnie and Jared MDA Camp Fund, established by their family through the Catholic Foundation of Michigan, to honor the memories of brothers Ronnie and Jared – an MDA camper and his brother who spent many joyful hours hanging with MDA kids and counselors throughout the years, experiencing friendships that lasted a lifetime.
2021 Campers unbox their MDA Summer Camp supplies, provided by the Ronnie and Jared MDA Camp Fund.
Since campers participate from their homes, siblings are welcomed to join in the fun. For most activities, campers and families will select the best time for them to participate on demand.
The boys’ mother shared, “MDA is family, and the heart of this family is MDA’s life-changing camp. Our son Ronnie attended MDA camp, and his brother Jared became an “honorary member” of the MDA family. MDA’s remarkable volunteer attendants do not give just a week of their life each year, they give their hearts to these kids and their families. Our family has been beyond blessed to be a part of this beautiful community.” Whether camp is in-person or virtual, Ronnie and Jared’s family encourages everyone to support this life-giving community.
“Charitable funds like this one remembering brothers, Ronnie and Jared, are so special because they bring so much joy to the world while honoring our loved ones,” said Angela Moloney, President and CEO of the Catholic Foundation.
The success of MDA Summer Camp is driven by the invaluable partners and donors that believe in the mission of the MDA and support it through unique and creative ways, such as the Ronnie and Jared MDA Camp Fund. “We have enjoyed working with the Catholic Foundation to bring the idea of a camp supply box to life for this year’s virtual MDA Summer Camp program,” said Louise S. Zingaro National Philanthropy Officer, Eastern Division with MDA.
“Having been a Michigander for 49 years, I feel proud of what the Catholic Foundation of Michigan is doing to support great work with donors,” shared Kathy Kauffmann, MDA’s Chief Strategy and Development Officer.
The Catholic Foundation is honored to be part of this beautiful partnership and invite you to consider supporting this beautiful cause.
Letter from a Grant Recipient: CSM Campers Reach New Heights with Zip Line
“Camp Sancta Maria is a beautiful example of an organization who is using faith to restore hope and inspire confidence and joy in young campers during the summer months,” shares Anthony Schena, chair of the Catholic Foundation of Michigan’s Grant and Impact committee.
2021 Workshops Cultivate Grant Writing Skills and Collaboration
This summer, the Catholic Foundationof Michigan Grant and Impact Committee once again presented two interactive virtual training webinars on grant writing, which were open to the public.
Nearly 60 individuals from across Michigan participated in at least one of the workshops. Representatives from local parishes, schools, and ministries gained valuable insight and tips for writing grant proposals of all types, with a special emphasis on the Catholic Foundation’s 2021 competitive grant process.
