Announcement
Tyler Neil/BAYOU CATHOLIC
Members of the Mother Teresa Women’s Giving Circle who were present for the grants distribution at the Pastoral Center in Schriever are pictured with the grant recipients. Grants totaling $101,000 were distributed to seven local nonprofits.
Mother Teresa Women’s Giving circle grants $101,000 to seven local nonprofits After another year of tremendous challenges in our community, the Mother Teresa Women’s Giving Circle members have granted $101,000 to seven local nonprofits directly impacting the lives of women, children and families. Through prayer and community, the group of Catholic women have together overcome the challenges of Hurricane Ida and found ways to make an impact in the community. After listening to presentations from 13 nonprofits, members were able to vote for seven nonprofits that would benefit from their efforts. Members of the Mother Teresa Women’s Giving Circle recently joined together to present $101,000 in grants to these seven nonprofits focused on women, children and families: • Catholic Charities Disaster Relief – $34,000 to continue with their appliance assistance efforts • Crossroads Pregnancy Center – $20,000 to implement a digital marketing
campaign to further their reach in our community • The Haven – $15,000 for their Family Violence Emergency Support Program and Flexible Housing Fund • Friends of Beyond the Bell – $8,000 to improve engagement in experiences and trips for kids • St. Lucy Child Development Center – $8,000 to add and improve playground equipment and kitchen appliances • Hope Extreme – $8,000 to improve the after school program by purchasing new equipment and supplies • Good Samaritan Food Bank and Thrift Store of Raceland – $8,000 to extend outreach of the food bank to other locations like the Wallace Center “It has been a truly humbling experience to watch the members of the Mother Teresa Women’s Giving Circle live out Mother Teresa’s mission to help women, children and families,” says Amy Ponson, executive director of the
34 • Bayou Catholic • Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux • June 2022
Catholic Foundation of South Louisiana. “Over the course of four years, despite continued challenges we face daily, the Catholic women within our diocese have led with their prayers, their hearts, and their vision to make our community a better place. Their shared generosity has enabled our Giving Circle to distribute over $329,000 over the last four years. Our vision was to build a community of Catholic women where every gift, no matter how large or small, would make an impact locally. We are honored to have been able to grant out $101,000 this year and hope to continue to grow our support throughout our local community.” For more information about the Mother Teresa Women’s Giving Circle, visit catholicfoundationsl.org. If you are interested in joining, please contact Amy Ponson at (985) 850-3116, or aponson@ htdiocese.org. BC
