IT’S BEEN A DREAM in the making for years—and with a lot of sacrifice and a community full of generous hearts, St. Thomas More parish is making big strides toward building its new, permanent church in Irvine.
Most recently, one parishioner looked beyond the gift of cash and maximized his impact by donating stock through The Orange Catholic Foundation (OCF).
The anonymous donor contributed more than $440,000 to St. Thomas More Catholic Church’s Building Fund and Capital Campaign.
Eugene Lee, the church’s pastor, said, “I struggle to fully express how much in awe I am and how humbling it is to see such amazing generosity and faith of the people.”
The donor mentioned how easy it was to make this transformational gift: “I learned sacrificial giving from my parents, and we want to teach our children the same. The donation of appreciated stock allowed us to give more effectively to our church, while reducing our tax bill. After connecting OCF and my broker, I did very little.”
The anonymous donor continued: “It’s incredibly important that we build this house of worship. It will serve our current needs but also be a sacred place where we can administer the sacraments for generations.”
His generous stock donation and additional stock gifts from other parishioners gave the St. Thomas More community the boost it needed. After years of attending Mass in the hall, the parish is expected to break ground in late 2025.
“We love Jesus,” Fr. Eugene added. “The community wants to offer our very best to our Lord Jesus Christ, who gave up everything for us, to build a church is to glorify and honor His majesty and His kingship
in our lives.”
Even though the church project is moving forward, the hard work isn’t over because the parish is still working toward the $24 million capital campaign goal.
With a recent push for new pledges, Fr. Eugene is appreciative of the partnership with OCF and for “the donors who took this approach because we can use them as a great example.”
HOW STOCK DONATIONS AMPLIFY YOUR IMPACT
With about 97% of U.S. household wealth being held in non-cash assets, contributing to your parish or other Catholic causes with stocks will increase your impact and your tax benefits
YOUR GIFT OF STOCK MAKES YOUR GIVING GO FURTHER
Donating appreciated stock or other investments can be a strategic way to bypass the Federal and California capital gains tax that you would’ve paid if you sold it on your own and donated the cash. Your tax savings could boost your gift by as much as 37%.
YOUR GIFT OF STOCK HELPS YOU STEWARD WISELY
Your appreciated assets can be a tool for stewarding a legacy of generosity, opening the door for conversations with your loved ones about values, giving and the causes close to your heart.
Ready to start exploring your opportunities to “…do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous, ready to share” (1 Timothy 6:18) with your non-cash assets? Download OCF’s stock donation form at OrangeCatholicFoundation.org or Schedule a meeting with our Philanthropy Team at (714) 282-3021 or [email protected]
Please note that The Orange Catholic Foundation does not provide tax, legal or accounting advice. This material is prepared and made available for informational purposes only and is not intended to provide or be relied upon for tax, legal or accounting advice. Every donor should always consult a
tax professional