News From CCF-LA | November 18, 2021 |
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Putting Faith to Work at the Union Rescue Mission |
My CCF-LA donor-advised fund was established in part to support the Union Rescue Mission, the largest private homeless shelter operator in Los Angeles County. Established in 1886, URM currently has two locations, downtown Los Angeles’ skid row and the Hope Gardens Family Center in Sylmar for women and children.
In January 2022, URM will open Angeles House, a 364-bed transition home for homeless families located in South L.A. at 13200 Avalon Blvd. On any given night, there are 1,000 children sleeping in cars or on the street in L.A. County, according to the most recent homeless survey. Angeles House will accommodate at least 25 percent of these homeless children and their parents.
Angeles House is being built with private funds because acceptance of L.A. City or L.A. County funds would require URM to allow drug and alcohol use by residents. URM is a faith-based organization that has a clean and sober policy for residents. By providing extensive case management and recovery services including healthcare, residents are stabilized and transformed so they can rejoin society and lead independent and satisfying lives.
URM is improving the lives of our community’s most neglected members, including homeless children. — Kevin Dretzka, Director, Angeles House capital-campaign chairman and project manager
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A rendering of Angeles House, which is expected to open by the end of 2021 |
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The Act of Gratitude
By Kathy Anderson
President and Executive Director
How often do we hear the words “the attitude is gratitude” and then do nothing to put them into action? Especially now as we celebrate the great American tradition of Thanksgiving, it’s important to look around and find ways to express gratitude.
Driving to work every day, I see growing encampments of homeless people and strangers with open hands walking among cars stopped at a light asking for help. It’s the time of year when my mailbox is filled with special acts for local and international relief, more funding for healthcare and social services, including the local police and fire departments, our alumni organizations and many more. It’s easy to write a check or make a grant, but more difficult is to face the issue head-on with a personal connection.
This year, when we sit around the Thanksgiving table with our loved ones, it’s a good opportunity to have a conversation about helping the helpless, giving back and providing real and emotional support for those most in need. Even the little ones can show kindness on the playground, our teens can expand their circle of friends and get more involved in volunteering, and we can give a stranger a smile, a word of encouragement, and maybe a $10 bill. For this effort, we live the act, if not the attitude, of gratitude by giving back.
Please consider opening a Donor-Advised Fund at CCF-LA to help you organize and increase the impact of your charitable giving to those less fortunate.
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After the worst financial month in the COVID-19 recovery, stocks rebounded in October and markets largely recovered from September’s losses. Gains were led by a strong earnings season in the U.S., offsetting tighter monetary policies, inflation, and supply-chain concerns. Equity markets were overall unfazed by the rise in volatility in rate markets and the flattening yield curve. Elevated uncertainty remains regarding the future direction of how the labor market and supply-chain issues will drive additional inflationary pressures and how financial markets will react.
Overall, our funds continued to perform very well. For October, the Balanced Pool portfolio realized a 3.61% gain and 12.05% and 8.88% for the first ten months of 2021 and since the inception of the pool in 2015, respectively. The Intermediate Fund returned 6.72% for the first ten months of this year and 6.88% since its inception in 2016. If you have any questions or would like additional information, please contact our client services manager.
— Andrew O'Boyle
Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer
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Making Connections at Onward Scholars’ Annual Event
CCF-LA attended the Onward Scholars event at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels conference center. Hosted by Board member John Smet and his wife, Cindy, this annual event honors the accomplishments of 8th-grade students who meet the requirements and high standards of the Smets’ incredible Onward Scholars Program. Read more.
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39th Annual Red Mass at the Cathedral
CCF-LA supports this annual event, which brings together attorneys, judges, and law professionals at the beginning of the judicial year and recognizes St. Thomas More, the patron saint of law and public service. Read more.
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Vision of Hope Delivers the Dream
VOH's recent gathering featured a compelling video showing the impact of gifts on the urban Catholic elementary schools in Los Angeles that VOH supports. Specifically, the campaign seeks funds to increase tuition assistance to these schools and to invest in innovational and organizational capacity. Vision of Hope has raised almost $3 million of its $5 million goal.
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CCF-LA Development Committee
The Development Committee was formed early in our history with two goals in mind: create awareness of our services and help build assets for the foundation. The committee is one of five of the Board and the only one with volunteers-at-large. The 13 members of the committee meet at least quarterly and are tasked with supporting CCF-LA’s client development. Read more.
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CCF-LA Staff Corner
STAFF RETREAT On Oct. 29, all 13 members of staff were on board for our annual retreat. Timing was perfect as we had just completed the Strategic Plan that covers the next three years and momentum is high coming off what we expect to be a record year for 2021.
We use the Balanced Scorecard as a tool to measure the business strategy of CCF-LA against the mission. The morning session was designed to refresh our understanding of the scorecard approach and set the big corporate goals needed to achieve our mission in 2022 and beyond.
The afternoon was about department and individual goal setting that ties into the corporate goals. We expect to recruit and maintain a staff of up to 18, which will all be additions to our front-line team, to book enough new business to go over the $600 million mark in assets under management by December 2022.
The key to our success embraces teamwork—both as team leaders and team members. We can accomplish so much more by setting goals that are meaningful, measurable, and achievable by relying on one another to realize success.
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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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