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Catholic News Herald

Serving Christ and Connecting Catholics in Western North Carolina

CHARLOTTE — The Foundation of the Diocese of Charlotte manages 92 endowments that generate income to directly aid Catholic schools and their students.

Since 1994, more than $5.5 million has been distributed from these endowments to directly benefit schools and students.

“We are grateful for those individuals and schools who have established endowments in the diocesan foundation for our 20 Catholic schools,” said Jim Kelley, diocesan development director.

”We are hopeful that more alumni, grandparents, past parents, current parents and friends of our Catholic schools will establish endowments – either now or in their estate plan.”

Established in 1994, the foundation offers a way for people and organizations to provide long-term financial stability for the diocese and its ministries.

An endowment is a permanent fund, the principal of which is invested – not spent – that generates income to help pay for projects and programs specified by the donor.

Endowments are tax deductible and help sustain the strength and viability of the diocese and its entities, paying for capital improvements, charitable outreach, education and parish operations.

The foundation makes available annually 5 percent of an endowment’s value (averaged over three years). It reports to endowment holders every quarter outlining the latest value and how much is available for distribution for its prescribed purpose – which can be very specific or more general, giving recipients the leeway to decide how the funding can help them most.

“The benefit of an endowment is that its principal continues to grow while at the same time generating an increasing amount of income for a school or ministry or parish,” said Kelley.

View the full list of education endowments on the diocese’s website, www.charlottediocese.org.

You can establish an endowment in the Diocese of Charlotte Foundation by leaving a bequest in a will, a beneficiary designation from a retirement plan, a trust or annuity, or a gift of real estate, life insurance, cash or securities. For details, contact Gina Rhodes at 704-370-3364 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

071224 Partners in MissionBOSTON — Six leaders from the Diocese of Charlotte’s Catholic Schools system recently attended Partners in Mission’s National Advancement Summer Institute for Catholic Schools.

They joined more than 350 Catholic school leaders from 35 states at the annual institute and had the opportunity to attend the National Enrollment Management Conference for Catholic Schools or the National Advancement Conference for Catholic Schools. Attendees were also treated to a variety of evening events, including a cruise of Boston Harbor and a trip to Fenway Park to see the Boston Red Sox play the Toronto Blue Jays.

Bishop Michael Martin, OFM Conv., served as a member of the Partners in Mission team before his appointment as the Bishop of Charlotte.

Attendees included the diocesan Catholic Schools Office’s Camile Denhard, director of development, and Tara Hackman, director of advancement; Matthew Falencki, director of advancement and communications, St. Patrick School and St. Patrick Cathedral; Kerry Winslow, assistant director of advancement and communications, Charlotte Catholic High School; and Holy Trinity Middle School’s Kevin Parks, principal, and Lisa Michalski, advancement and marketing coordinator.

— Larry Furey