Originally published by the New Outlook, the Diocese of Tucson Online News.
By New Outlook
The Diocese of Tucson is proud to announce that the Catholic Foundation is awarding more than $1 million dollars in grants throughout the Diocese. In total 34 parishes received monetary support while 20 schools were awarded funding. Projects range from maintenance updates to equipment and furniture purchases. In the social service category 10 programs will see critical dollars for services to further enhance disability support and bolster prison, homeless, and youth ministry. This year the Catholic Foundation was also able to fund 9 grants through its robust endowment program that continues the critical work of Saint Joseph Catholic Healthcare.
Elizabeth Bollinger, Executive Director of the Catholic Foundation for the Diocese of Tucson, said, “I am beyond grateful for the continuing generosity of our Catholic community. Year after year, through our Annual Catholic Appeal, and other revenue generating programs, we are able to provide parishes, schools, and social programs with critical funding to strengthen services in Southern Arizona.”
Catholic parishes, schools, and social programs can apply for grants of up to $15,000 and can reapply year after year. Our Lady of Fatima on Tucson’s west side is in the process of updating its aging parish. Last year the church used funding to support its air conditioning and sound systems. This latest round of grant money will go toward installing pews that have existed for nearly 50 years.
Richard Sauerbrey leads the parish’s building committee, “We are amazingly appreciative of the Catholic Foundation and all that it does for our parish community. Over the years we’ve received a bunch of small grants, but they add up in big ways.” Sauerbrey said he, like other parishes in the diocese, stresses the importance of the Annual Catholic Appeal. “I tell our parishioners when you donate, all you have to do is look around our own parishes and see where the dollars go. Everything comes right back to our Catholic community.”
This year, the Catholic Foundation was also able to fund 9 grants through its robust endowment program that continues the critical work of Saint Joseph Catholic Healthcare.