Caring for Our Community

We are called to compassion.

Following the example and teaching of Jesus Christ, we are called to care for the poor, the orphan and the widow.

And so ours is a practical faith—providing food, shelter, clothing and the profound ministry of presence in which we come alongside those in need wherever they may be among us. We help sustain their very lives as we support them toward self-sufficiency.

Through The Catholic Foundation, we are both deeply passionate and compassionate in how we care for our community throughout northern Colorado.

Jan and David’s Story

“We just wanted to give.”

Some years ago, Jan and David created a family foundation to fulfill their goals for charitable giving and financial management. But they ended up with more administration than they bargained for and lost some of the joy in the midst of the paperwork.

“With a family foundation, there’s a lot you have to manage. I had to file taxes and all kinds of documents,” Jan explains.

Compassion For the Those In Need

Yet what Jan and David are really passionate about is caring for those in need in their community on the Western Slope. They have even involved their four children in giving decisions.

“When people around you are in need, you have to take care of them.”

To this day, they are dedicated donors to Catholic Charities, but now they channel their giving through The Catholic Foundation.

The Joy of Giving Without the Paperwork

Since trading their family foundation for a donor-advised fund, Jan and David experience the joy of giving without the paperwork.

The Catholic Foundation manages the investment of the fund and the distribution of grants from it.

“We get reports through email regarding our fund performance. That’s information we process, but we don’t have to do any work regarding it,” David explains.

“The Catholic Foundation is set up to do exactly what we wanted. We give to the Foundation every year, then we recommend where we want our funds to go. It’s a very simple way to give.”

Serving the Western Slope

Jan is also a long-time volunteer for Catholic Charities on the Western Slope.

“We had a place as our office, and it was part of the old church. The pastor let us use the space until they built a new church.”

The Catholic Foundation then gave a grant to purchase the old church to keep the office there— at the former St. Stephen’s Church on Grand Avenue in the heart of Glenwood Springs. From this regional center, Catholic Charities serves the needs of the surrounding communities through emergency assistance, transitional housing, food, health and dental care, immigration services and more.

A Gifted Life

Jan speaks most fervently about mothers and children who benefit from her volunteer time and financial support.

Following her example, Jan’s daughter has taught English as a second language to Spanish-speaking moms so they can more fully engage in community life.

When getting their children involved in family giving decisions, “we wanted to get their ideas and to have them think about who we needed to help,” Jan says.

As parents, Jan and David are passing on an important tradition of family and faith by modeling what it means to care for others.

Jan and David’s names have been changed to respect privacy.

Giving Catalog

If you are inspired to support The Catholic Foundation in caring for our community, please browse our Giving Catalog of opportunities.

Or, if you are still exploring your options, take a few moments to consider: What Inspires You?