On the road to a bright future

You just have to push yourself towards learning something new that can help you so you can help others,

On the road

to a bright future

ELIZABETH SYMINGTON

Photo: Peter Stoop

For more than 60 years, the Catholic Development Fund has given back to the Diocese of Maitland-Newcastle.

By harnessing the financial resources of the Diocese and its broader community, the Fund has delivered effective funding strategies to build everything from schools and community housing to St Nicholas Early Education and CatholicCare facilities. Community outreach programs and various parish initiatives are also supported by the Fund. The Fund’s team has always been passionate about its work, but now there is a new sense of excitement and renewal as a new name for the organisation is launched – Catholic Community Fund (CCF). The new title encapsulates the Fund’s commitment to the growth of the Diocese of Maitland-Newcastle and the communities within it. At the launch of the new title, the Fund and Treasury Manager, Jenny Chung, remarked that the name change better reflected the future focus of the Fund. “The community is at the heart of everything we do, so it made sense for us to represent this in our name,” Ms Chung said. “Many people may not know that over the last ten years alone, the Catholic Community Fund, with support from its members, has provided or given back over $43 million to support the charitable works of the Diocese and its agencies.” Diocesan Administrator, Father Greg Barker, is excited about the future of the CCF. “Every year, through the dedication of those who work for the organisation and the support of the members, the Fund grows,” he said. Elizabeth Doyle has been investing with the CCF for more than 30 years. “The new name is fantastic because it portrays what the Fund is about, and who it helps.” She said she was first motivated to invest with the Fund because it provided her with an avenue to achieve her financial goals, while at the same time, both directly and indirectly making a positive contribution to the community. “I have my account set up so that each fortnight when I am paid my wage, money is automatically transferred to support the work of my parish and Catholic Mission.

“I’m also happy to know that the returns generated from the money I have invested with the Fund for my own future are then used by the Fund to help the Catholic community more broadly. “Investing with the Fund is just one way we can bring forth what Jesus asks us to do in the Gospel which is to be community - to be there for one another,” Elizabeth said. Another long-time investor with the Fund, Barry Corbett, said he had remained with the Fund for more than 20 years because he, too, was encouraging of the financial sustenance it provides to bolster community projects, particularly the development of schools. “As well as being supportive of the work that it does, the staff at the Fund are just wonderful,” Mr Corbett said. You can learn more about the Catholic Community Fund at www.myccf.com.au