CCF-LA News | October 15, 2024 | |
The beginning of year-end celebrations! | |
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This is my third-to-last letter, as I will be retiring at the end of this year. I hope you have enjoyed and learned from these messages over the past ten years, sprinkled with my personal tips on giving, sharing my history and goals for philanthropy, and above all knowing of my passion and advocacy for the work of our foundation. As a founder, it has been a tremendous time to build something from scratch that has now become such an important part of our Catholic community. In the months ahead, I’ll be sharing more on this transition. Now to my more typical seasonal message!
Goblins, ghosts and witches – Halloween marks the beginning of the year-ending holiday celebrations. It’s something to watch how many neighborhoods go all out for this holiday and in my own Glendale neighborhood we get hundreds of children going door to door in costumes for treats.
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Kathy Anderson
President and Executive Director
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No sooner are the Halloween decorations down, than the Christmas ones appear in stores and homes. Ever wondered why we do so little decorating for Thanksgiving?
Now is the time to prepare for Thanksgiving and then Christmas. During these two holidays we are expressing gratitude for all that is important in our lives – God, family and friends. We are already thinking about what sumptuous meal we will prepare for Thanksgiving and who will be at our table. We are also thinking about who is on our gift list for Christmas and how we can delight them with our thoughtfulness for a special gift.
It's not always about family and friends. Caring for our neighbors that are elderly, the people we meet and see on our streets every day that need shelter and food, the families that stress over paying for utilities and gas, and the many charitable organizations that are struggling to meet the growing demand for social services – these are all part of our community and they need a meal and a gift, too.
As you plan your year ending charitable giving, please consider carving out something in your budget to help your community. As a community foundation, we know how important it is to work together for a common good that is far greater than ourselves.
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Our Savior Church
Fr. Matt Wheeler
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The gift of a priestly vocation to USC!
While a student at USC majoring in accounting/philosophy, Fr. Matt Wheeler was adjusting to California life coming from Minnetonka, Minnesota, where he grew up in a close-knit Catholic family of caring parents, four boys, and a sister. What was he thinking?
Unsure as to how he would fit in at USC, he connected with the USC Caruso Catholic Center and the Our Savior Parish, one of the newest parishes in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles and located in the heart of USC’s campus. He credits Fr. Lawrence Seyer, the pastor then, for encouraging his discernment process, and by the time he graduated, he knew that St. John’s Seminary was his path forward.
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Without this support at USC, Fr. Matt might never have found his vocation, and he is happy to be back at USC in his new role as a Catholic priest ministering to the students of all faiths on the campus. According to Fr. Matt, “It’s the faith-filled community of USC that we can count on for future leaders of our church, our civic and business organizations, and the many non-profits that serve the social needs of our community.”
Prior to his assignment at USC on July 1, 2024, and following his ordination in 2018, Fr. Matt served in St. Anthony’s Parish in San Gabriel for four years and at Visitation Parish for two years.
Now in its hundredth year, the Catholic Church has brought Christianity and ministry to the community of USC. The Center is a client of CCF-LA with generous donors committed to building an endowment so that the Parish and Center will continue to serve campus life for generations to come.
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Gratitude for a new knee!
John Dlugolecki is an event photographer that has worked with us and many other Catholic organizations, including CEF and schools. In 2001, the Arthritis Foundation of LA asked him to ride and photograph their new California Coast Classic Bike Tour—an 8-day, 525-mile bicycle ride—to raise money to help families suffering from arthritis and to fund research. In no shape to bike the first year, he drove and photographed the event. Since then, he has bicycled in this event 22 times.
It was the “gift” of a new right knee earlier this year that made the ride possible for John to continue to participate and raise funds for the event. Four years ago, he was diagnosed with osteoarthritis and never expected to continue to make the annual trek, especially the 8-day trek this year that started near Pier 39 in San Francisco and ended up at Pepperdine University.
After his surgery in March, he was restricted in his exercise regime and knew he was not in top shape for the 2024 ride. He completed 321 of the total 500 miles, getting stronger every day, and completed a 72-mile stretch through Santa Barbara on the six-month anniversary of his surgery.
John’s gratitude for his new knee was paid forward in his determination and support for the arthritis foundation’s 2024 ride, and many more to come.
For more info on the CCC Bike Tour: Arthritis Foundation
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As the weather starts to cool and the holidays approach, many people reflect on how they helped others throughout the year. As a nonprofit organization, CCF-LA understands the greater need for assistance and resources, particularly during the holiday season, to help individuals struggling in our city.
In November, we will encourage our CCF-LA team to volunteer and serve in a capacity that will assist the less fortunate. Please e-mail me at Gina Lopez if you know of a great local organization that can use a hand.
As for my role in Human Resources, my goal for the last quarter will be to remind our employees how giving each other a hand, recognition for a job well done, or even a smile can go a long way in showing you care.
Have a happy Halloween!
HR Manager
Gina Lopez
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September Performance Financial Market Updates | |
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Our VP Finance, Treasurer and Controller provides the following report as of September 30, 2024 for the pooled funds managed by CCF-LA:
- The Balanced Pool portfolio returned +1.38%, net of fees, bringing the YTD returns to +11.74%.
- The Intermediate Fund pool returned +0.90%, bringing the YTD returns to +6.90%
- The estimated annual yield on the Short-Term Investment Fund account is currently +5.22%.
Armando Nevarez
V.P. of Finance, Controller and Treasurer
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Our clients looking for endowment style, long-term investing usually select the Balanced Pool which has multiple investment managers and allocation styles. The Intermediate and STIF funds are options for clients that are working with a shorter spending horizon. We strive to offer options to fit the needs of our clients in a Catholic-focused investment strategy.
Generally, September was a strong month for capital markets, fueled by the much-anticipated start to the Fed rate cutting cycle. Although a rate cut was expected, the 50-bps cut was more dovish than market expectations, driving the market rally and increasing optimism around a quicker easing cycle. Inflation data continued its downward trajectory, shifting focus to the employment picture. Although unemployment has been trending upwards, the labor market remains strong against a backdrop of strong consumer and economic data, bolstering investor hopes for a soft landing.
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Client Services-Development | | |
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The gift of a new employee!
Welcome Emily Flores, our client service associate who worked at an elementary school while earning her BA at Cal State Northridge. “At CCF-LA, I’ve learned that everyday acts of giving, big or small, contribute to a wonderful network of support and kindness. CCF-LA had shown me just how important these efforts are for creating a better future for our communities.” Emily comes from a big family and knows the importance of teamwork in getting anything done! She’s a great writer and looks forward to creating value for CCF-LA through client services.
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Emily Flores
Client Services
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The gift of St. Julie’s building campaign
Under the leadership of Fr. Ian Vincent Hagan, St. Julie Billiard Parish completed a beautiful renovation as part of Phase II of its Legacy Campaign. The project included a gathering space for the parish community, a gated children’s play area, and a much-needed new AC system—it gets very hot in Newbury Park! As a client of CCF-LA, we worked with the parish’s finance council to manage the Legacy Campaign Fund in our Catholic-focused investment strategy.
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CCF-LA’s Newsletter—a gift to our clients, staff, and friends
The last quarter of the year is filled with events, special communications around Thanksgiving and Christmas, and pushing hard to meet goals and objectives for the year. This monthly newsletter is an important way of keeping all our stakeholders informed and helps us celebrate events even if we were not able to attend in person. For me, it’s the best way to share stories and make our clients and staff more real to our readers. In this month’s newsletter, we found many reasons to be grateful for the gifts that are always not that obvious—a new parish building, a new knee, a vocation, a new employee, and this newsletter.
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Bonnie Peralta
Marketing Assistant
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CEF Topgolf Event
An evening at the golf range on September 26th brought CEF Board members, school leaders, and benefactors together in the common goal of fundraising tuition awards for the most financially deserving students attending CEF-supported schools. William Cruz attended to support our long-standing and valued client, Catholic Education Foundation.
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The second annual Bishop Dave O’Connell Memorial Scholarship presentation was made on September 27, the feast day of St. Michael the Archangel. It was a full day of celebrations with Mass and an open house before the awards were announced. | | |
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The gift of St. John’s Seminary
The 85th anniversary of SJS Seminary was celebrated at a gala on September 21st with a huge crowd on the Cathedral plaza. CCF-LA’s staff and invited guests were seated at five of the tables. The honorees were Bishop Alex Aclan, Mgr. Austin Doran, Fr. Al Scott, Fr. Joseph Shea, and Nolel Diaz, who was presented with the Evangelii Gaudium Award. St. John’s Seminary was one of the first clients of the CCF-LA, and we are honored and proud to work with Fr. Marco Durazo, the Rector, and Nick Atapattu, the CFO, in managing their investments.
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CALL celebrates Catholic leaders
At its 12th Annual Angel Awards, CALL acknowledged the gift of leadership in four areas: the Religious Award to Sister of the Poor of Jesus Christ, Emerging Leader to Dr. Christian De Larkin, Business Award to Soledad Eye Surgeons, and the Entertainment Category to Jaime Jarrin, the voice of the LA Dodgers. It was a sold-out crowd, and we were happy to see clients, board members, and our staff support this event. CALL has been our client since 2018.
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I remember that voice!
Jaime Jarrin, a former Hispanic Dodgers broadcaster, was an Honoree at the Angel Awards held at the InterContinental Downtown LA on Saturday September 28th. He shared his passion and dedication that made him a cherished icon in the sports world, especially here in Los Angeles. Jaime received the Entertainment Award. As a kid, I do remember hearing Jaime and Vince Scully broadcast the game. If we were out shopping (not at a mall), people would be standing around the storefront window watching the game on TV as the Dodgers played.
Bonnie Peralta
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Carmelites Sisters Celebrate 92 years of Santa Teresita
Santa Teresita’s 36th annual gala was held October 12 in Pasadena with a sold-out capacity of friends and supporters. Santa Teresita is a beautiful facility in Duarte that reflects the legacy of the sisters in caring for people by providing a healing and faith-filled experience. Kathy and Gina attended with their spouses and reported that the sister did not disappoint in their highly anticipated revue and skit on the “light” that radiates from their mission and work. Carmelite Sisters.
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Mission Statement
The Catholic Community Foundation of Los Angeles empowers charitable individuals and organizations across cultures and generations through professional philanthropy management solutions that allow clients to develop and sustain their philanthropy in support of Catholic values.
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