Orange Catholic Foundation

EPISODE#249
OC CATHOLIC RADIO: A NIGHT OF COUNTRY UNDER THE STARS

On this episode, host Rick Howick welcomes Kimberly Jetton to our studios in the Tower of Hope, on the campus of Christ Cathedral. Kimberly is the Executive Director of the Orange Catholic Foundation for the Diocese of Orange. Today, she’ll share with us about the upcoming Orange Catholic Foundation Gala 2022 – “A Night of Country Under the Stars.” The gala’s special appeal will benefit retired priests in the Diocese of Orange.

In addition to honoring previous OC Catholic Radio guest Dr. Vincent Nguyen; the evening’s entertainment will be provided by none other than Gary LeVox, lead vocalist from the popular country group Rascal Flatts!

Originally broadcast on 3/12/22

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EPISODE #277
EMPOWERED BY THE SPIRIT: GUEST IS KIMBERLY JETTON OF THE ORANGE CATHOLIC FOUNDATION

On this episode, Deacon Steve Greco welcomes Kimberly Jetton to our studios in the Tower of Hope, on the campus of Christ Cathedral. Last October, Kimberly was named the Executive Director of the Orange Catholic Foundation for the Diocese of Orange. She shares that her personal mission and ministry is to advance the Mission of the Church in the proclamation of the Gospel through her work in development.

Tune in and share this lively and informative conversation. Be sure to share this podcast!

Originally broadcast on 6/20/21

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BISHOP VANN WELCOMES KIMBERLY JETTON

Just this past Sunday, when I installed Fr. Michael St. Paul as the new Pastor at Holy Trinity parish in Ladera Ranch, I had the blessing to speak with Jonathon Bobruk, who is the husband of the late Cindy Bobruk, who guided the Orange Catholic Foundation for many years. When I mentioned Cindy at Mass, there was spontaneous applause! That gratitude for Cindy is an appropriate expression of the work of the Orange Catholic Foundation, and the good that it has contributed to the mission of the Church here in Orange since its founding, in the year 2000, under Bishop Tod Brown.

That was an appropriate way to begin this new chapter in the life of the Orange Catholic Foundation, with the arrival of the new executive director, Kimberly Jetton, to begin her leadership and guidance with the Foundation. I was grateful to the Orange Catholic Foundation Board for their leadership in surfacing qualified candidates for the position of Executive Director, and for the chance to meet her personally as part of the process. She brings a great deal of enthusiasm and expertise to this position and, as I stated at the time of her appointment, “Kimberly recognizes that even though our Catholic communities are currently hampered by outside forces beyond their control, it is her firm belief that our best days are yet to come. Our faithful parishioners remain committed as ever to their parishes, schools and ministries.”

I would like to add a personal note to this as well. The days of October are rushing by, and soon we will be in the month of November, dedicated to all of the Faithful departed. I also will be soon remembering the 6th anniversary of my father’s death on Nov.13. My father’s life in my early years was as a postal service carrier, faithfully delivering mail in many and challenging circumstances. I remember him at times getting up early on cold and snowy Christmas mornings in the Midwest to retrieve mail and gifts that had not yet arrived at friends’ homes.

The Orange Catholic Foundation, on a great scale, does the same: bringing the Gospel and the message of the generous love of Christ in all circumstances, especially today. Not unlike what my father and so many other postal carriers did in their work many years ago, and today as well. We are very grateful for Kimberly’s experience and faith as she leads the Orange Catholic Foundation to do just that; to be bearers and deliverers of the mystery and presence of God’s love in the circumstances of today’s complicated and challenging world.

Welcome Kimberly as a part of our Family of God. Be assured always of our prayers and support and gratitude.

STRATEGIC CHANGES

“Change is the law of life,” John F. Kennedy once said. “And those who look only to the past or present are certain to miss the future.”

Benjamin Franklin was more blunt on the subject of change: “When you’re finished changing, you’re finished.”

The diocese’s Strategic Plan, a multi-year mission to address the opportunities and challenges facing Orange County’s Catholic community, is rooted in change. One of the plan’s five key pillars, which focuses on stewardship and finance, has led to changes to the Orange Catholic Foundation, the philanthropic and fundraising arm of the diocese. After a thoughtful discernment and in consultation with a number of organizations and committees from both inside and outside of the diocese, Bishop Kevin W. Vann decided to bring in new leadership to the foundation by appointing a new board.

“Bishop Vann has three key initiatives,” says Tom Greeley, who chairs the OCF’s new board. “Hiring a new permanent executive director for OCF, handing off the Pastoral Services Appeal from the Foundation to the Diocese and developing an overall philanthropic strategic financial plan focused on raising funds, obtaining grants, promoting gifting through wills and trusts, and specific fund raising for parishes and schools.”

The new board met for the first time on June 19. “We accomplished two tasks during the meeting,” Greeley says. “We appointed Jim Normandin as interim executive director – he’s a very seasoned philanthropy executive with an impressive resume – and we’ve launched a search for a permanent one.”

Normandin spent 32 years with the Memorial Medical Center Foundation, the last 10 years as its president. During his term, support granted to the medical center’s operations exceeded $94 million. Co-founder of the American Institute for Philanthropic Studies, Normandin is a member of the Orange Coast Estate Planning and Trust Council, the National Association of Charitable Gift Planners and the Planned Giving Roundtable of Orange County.

Greeley worked for a number of strategic planning and financial consulting firms, eventually retiring as a partner at Grant Thornton, LLP. A diocese volunteer for many years, he chaired the Strategy Task Force, a group that, along with input from hundreds of key stakeholders across the Diocese, helped develop the framework for the first ever diocesan-wide strategic plan, released in November 2018.

The Orange Catholic Foundation has engaged a search firm to identify qualified candidates for a permanent executive director. “I anticipate that we’ll have one identified, who will accept the job, within three months,” Greeley says.

He also recognized the efforts of the OCF’s former leadership: “They were deeply committed to the mission, and they worked very hard to raise the needed funds – particularly the ‘For Christ Forever Capital Campaign’ and the related follow-up campaigns. That was really successful, and they should be highly commended.”

Greeley notes that the transfer of the Pastoral Services Appeal from the Orange Catholic Foundation to the Diocese will help free up the OCF to do what it’s done so well for years. “The foundation has always done a great job, for example, with wills and estates, obtaining grants, and so forth,” he says. “And that’s definitely going to continue. My understanding is that great progress has been made in the PSA transition to the diocese with the support of the Pastors.”

Formulating the Orange Catholic Foundation’s overall financial strategic plan will begin in earnest once a new permanent executive director is in place, Greeley notes. “Everything is on track right now, since the changes were implemented,” he says. “The main issue is that we need to have specific targets in terms of funds to be raised for the various ministries, the largest one being the schools.”

The new OCF board is aware that those in greatest need can be best helped by the foundation, something that’s always been a key priority. “As Orange County’s population has grown through the years, a significant variance has developed in terms of income,” Greeley says. “The Foundation will continue to assist those parishes and Catholic schools in lower-income areas.”

Continued transparency in communication and financial reporting will play a key role in the Orange Catholic Foundation’s emerging strategic plan. The OCF has been and will remain an independent fiduciary board, focused on adhering to donor intent for all endowments and funds, and its decisions will align with the needs and priorities of the diocese.

“We at the foundation must communicate to everyone in the diocese the needs and priorities, ‘This is what we’re doing. And here’s how we’re doing it.’ And here is the help we need from you and your generous gifts.’ Everything will be out in front and available, so others can see what’s going on – and question it if need be,” Greeley says. “Collaboration is so important. There are so many ministries in the diocese, and we’re all working together to achieve a common good.”

A BETTER WAY TO GIVE

Suppose your child attended a Catholic school that couldn’t afford its own books. Worse yet, what if you couldn’t even afford to send them to this school?

That’s the reality for many children at Santa Ana–based St. Anne School, located in an area where many families face economic hardship. Paying the $5,000-a-year tuition for a quality Catholic education simply isn’t possible.

A few years ago, a parish – also named St. Anne – offered to help. Parishioners at the Seal Beach parish were informed of St. Anne School’s funding challenges and the kids who couldn’t afford to attend. They’ve helped pay school expenses and tuition ever since.

Recently, their altruistic efforts became easier – for the supporters and for both “St. Annes” – thanks to the first-annual Scholarship Weekend, a collaboration between the Santa Ana school, the Seal Beach parish and the Orange Catholic Foundation. 

St. Anne Parish’s generosity began a few years earlier. “In September 2017, two friends were looking for an elementary school to help out,” says JoAnn Rossi, who leads St. Anne Parish’s School Ministry. “They identified St. Anne School.” That November, Rossi sent a proposal to the Seal Beach parish’s council, suggesting they help St. Anne School on a broader scale. It was approved.

“They saw our school’s great need and potential,” says Sr. Teresa Lynch, St. Anne School’s principal. “For example, we had to use old math books, since we couldn’t afford new ones. When we later gave [the Seal Beach parishioners] a tour of the school, they met our kids and fell in love with them.”

Rossi initially spoke during a Mass at St. Anne Parish, asking for assistance. The parishioners gave $14,000 … that very day. However, Principal Lynch and her staff were soon overwhelmed with additional donations; processing each one added to their already overloaded workday. 

That’s when the Orange Catholic Foundation stepped in. “St. Anne School staff do exactly what they’re supposed to do, educate young children, and they do it very well,” says Sue Nunn, Acting Executive Director of the Orange Catholic Foundation. “Their donation-related duties were an added burden, and we at the foundation are experts in facilitating all charitable giving matters. We don’t educate children, but we love to support those who do.”

St. Anne School’s staff connects a student in need of tuition assistance with a supporter as an “adopted” student. Each supporter receives a picture of the student they’re helping, as well as letters updating the young student’s education and goals. 

“Parishioners can give to current tuition assistance,” Nunn says, “gifts can also be made to a St. Anne school endowment fund providing assistance in perpetuity.”

This new arrangement, Nunn notes, can serve as a model of giving throughout the Diocese. “The best thing anyone can do to help St. Anne School – right now – is to visit orangecatholicfoundation.org/support-stanne and give today or give us a call at 714.282.3021.”

NEW VP OF PHILANTHROPY NAMED FOR ORANGE CATHOLIC FOUNDATION

The Board of Directors of the Orange Catholic Foundation has announced the appointment of Ms. Elizabeth McKibbin as vice president of philanthropy. McKibbin is a seasoned fundraising professional with more than 10 years experience serving prominent nonprofit organizations, including Orange County School of the Arts (OCSA), Orangewood Foundation, KidWorks and others.

In her previous positions McKibbin directed major gifts programs, managed annual fundraising events, led individual, corporate and foundation giving, and planned giving programs. One of her key strengths is her ability to help facilitate and sustain lasting and effective relationships with community philanthropists, board members, colleagues, volunteers, and foundation partners.

“I look forward to working collaboratively with my colleagues and board members at the Orange Catholic Foundation, Bishop Kevin Vann, Auxiliary Bishop Timothy Freyer, Auxiliary Bishop Thanh Thai Nguyen, the Vicar General Monsignor Stephen Doktorczyk, and pastors, priests, principals, and volunteers throughout the Diocese of Orange in support of its parishes, schools and ministries,” said McKibbin.

In her new role, McKibbin is responsible for the development and strategic implementation of fundraising programs of the Orange Catholic Foundation. In her role as vice president of philanthropy she will serve as a key member of the senior management team and work to advance the mission, values, and strategic goals of the foundation.

“I truly enjoy working in partnership with supporters, helping them to fulfill their wishes in making a difference in the community,” she explains.

From an early age, McKibbin’s Catholic faith has been central to her life. For this reason, she is enthusiastically looking forward to supporting the work and mission of the Orange Catholic Foundation.

“I am grateful to be a part of such a vibrant, diverse community of faith,” she says. “My goal as VP of philanthropy at the Orange Catholic Foundation is to build upon the unity of our great faith and continue to help strengthen our commitment as Catholics to share the joy of the Gospel with others.”

A FINAL ACT OF STEWARDSHIP

As Catholics, all of us are called to be good stewards of the gifts that God has entrusted to our care. We are not the owners of our material gifts, but rather stewards, caretakers or custodians, of what belongs exclusively and entirely to God. For people of faith, estate planning is stewardship. An estate plan is an ultimate, final act of stewardship. We pray for God’s guidance on the appropriate distribution of our estate. Creating a will, trust and other estate-planning documents ensures our family is cared for after we are gone.

As a part of the Church’s ministries to its members, the Orange Catholic Foundation offers a week of educational wills and trusts sessions provided by local Catholic estate planning attorneys.  Every third week of May and October a two-hour session is offered at 11 parishes throughout Orange County.  These sessions are designed to help you protect and provide for your loved ones, update or create your estate plan, and learn more about wills, trusts, estate taxes, probate expenses, guardianship of minor children, selection of personal representatives, and more. 

Since the Orange Catholic Foundation’s first “Wills & Trusts Week” in October 2011 through October 2019, over 6,600 attendees have been provided information to formulate well thought-out, personal questions. These resources give our attendees the opportunities to have their questions answered by a lawyer in the privacy of a law office at a later date. These consultations are compliments of lawyers in full stewardship of the gifts God has given them.  They help families make well-informed decisions and ensure that the plan they have created will address their specific wishes. 

Creating a will or trust is an opportunity to make a statement of your faith. Only through your will or trust can you make a charitable bequest for the ongoing witness of the Catholic Church through your parish and the faith-related institutions and agencies you may care about at home and abroad.

Although most people will organize their night out to watch a movie or create an itinerary for a road trip, most families do not take the time to plan for their future. We simply never get around to doing it. The result is disappointing. When we fail to plan, our dreams, wishes and hopes may never be fully realized. Unfortunately, this also means our family and beneficiaries experience the expense and frustration of estate administration. A few months of probate can destroy what took a lifetime to create. Don’t let this happen to you or your family.

We all desire significance—to lead happy and fulfilled lives surrounded by family and friends. For many of us, there is a compelling need to make a difference – to leave a lasting impact on the people most dear to us and the world in which we live. The search for significance and desire to plan for the future leads many to ponder their legacy. What kind of legacy will you leave? A bequest is perhaps the easiest and most tangible way to have a lasting impact on the people and organizations that mean the most to you.

If after reading this article you have questions or would like to get started on creating or updating your charitable plan, please contact us at 714-282-3021 or [email protected]. You can also request for our free Wills Guide, a guide to planning your will and trust and be referred to a qualified estate planning attorney. 

THE GIFT THAT KEEPS GIVING

“Perpetuity” is a word you don’t run across every day, but it is a word known well at the Orange Catholic Foundation. We use it often as it describes our endowment funds.

According to Webster’s Dictionary, perpetuity is “the state or quality of being perpetual.” The phrase “in perpetuity” means “forever or for an indefinite period.” 

Generations from now, the Orange Catholic Foundation and the people we serve throughout our Catholic community in Orange County will benefit from the foresight and generosity of those that have established an endowment fund. They will see names on our endowment funds and know that these individuals responded to God’s involvement in their life by making a gift to an endowment fund.

In Luke 6:38, Jesus said “Give and gifts will be given to you; a good measure, packed together, shaken down, and overflowing, will be poured into your lap.” Endowment funds are gifts that keep giving and giving and giving. They allow families to continue their annual support long after they are gone. Gifts to endowment funds can be established during a person’s lifetime by using cash, securities, real estate or other assets.  An endowment can also be created through your estate plan at the time of death. Some families establish an endowment gift now, so they can watch it grow and enjoy the satisfaction of seeing the endowment fund benefit others. They may add to it periodically and possibly encourage family members and friends to get involved. Then, through their wills, they make provision for a final and often larger contribution.

Endowments protect donor intent. Endowment funds at the Orange Catholic Foundation are set aside and separate from other operating and capital funds. Each endowment fund has a written agreement on file and the terms are carefully followed in perpetuity. 

Most families want to support an endowment fund that will benefit their parish community or a specific ministry such as Seminarian Education, Retired Priests, Tuition Assistance for Catholic schools or other areas of interest. That’s what makes endowments personal. Families appreciate the flexibility and the opportunity to personalize their perpetual giving.

Since only a portion of the annual earnings are distributed, endowment funds are able to preserve the initial gift.  The remaining earnings are left to help grow the fund, in order to produce a larger distribution each year while allowing the fund to keep pace with inflation.  

The Orange Catholic Foundation has developed sound policies for creating and managing endowment funds. This information is available upon request.  We are willing to show you a variety of ways you can use the vehicles of gift planning to make an endowment dream come true — whether now through a current gift, or later through your estate plan. We are happy to visit with you about this exciting area of philanthropy. Feel free to contact us at 714-282-3021 or email [email protected] for more details. 

A TAX-WISE GIVING OPPORTUNITY

Don was a retired businessman who volunteered as a docent at Christ Cathedral. When he heard about the need to update and provide ongoing maintenance of the Hazel Wright Organ he was excited to help in a significant way. He wanted to make a larger gift than normal, but had questions about the best way to fund his gift. He was also concerned about conserving cash resources for the future.

Don learned about the possibility of using his IRA (Individual Retirement Account) to make a gift for this need. Because Don was already over age 70½, he could take advantage of the IRA Qualified Charitable Distribution (QCD) option this year and make the gift to the Orange Catholic Foundation’s Hazel Wright Organ Maintenance Fund directly from his IRA. Don knew that he didn’t really need all the income from his IRA this year. He had enough income from other sources to cover his living expenses, so he decided to direct a QCD of $100,000 from his IRA to the Hazel Wright Organ Maintenance Fund at the foundation earlier this year. 

He was thrilled to discover that he could transfer money from his IRA to a qualified charity, such as the Orange Catholic Foundation, without paying any federal income tax. The fact that his gift qualified for his required minimum distribution amount was an added bonus!

If you are 70½ or older you are likely familiar with the IRA required minimum distribution. Each year, the IRS requires you to withdraw a certain amount from your IRA, whether you need the funds or not, and you pay income tax on every distribution you take. For many IRA account holders, the taxes can be significant and an undesirable annual burden.

Many people have discovered that they can make a big difference to support their parish, school or ministry with an IRA QCD gift. For an added benefit, consider designating the same purpose through the Orange Catholic Foundation as a beneficiary of your IRA.

To benefit this year, your IRA QCD gift must be made before Dec. 31, 2019. Call your IRA administrator now or contact the Orange Catholic Foundation at 714.282.3021 for more information on how to make the IRA QCD work for you.

Don was called home to heaven this summer. Before he passed away, he left a meaningful mark on Earth and named the Orange Catholic Foundation’s Hazel Wright Organ Maintenance Fund as the beneficiary of his IRA. Don will always be remembered for his love of God, his Catholic Faith and his generosity to the Hazel Wright Organ, which honors our Heavenly Father for generations to come.

YOU HAVE MORE OPTIONS THAN YOU MAY KNOW

As Catholics we believe (that is, we have given our heart to) the truth that life is a gift.  All that we have, all that we are and all that we shall become is a gift, entrusted to us to be used to further God’s Kingdom. These gifts are ours to use, enjoy, grow, and exercise faithfully. However, they are not ours. We don’t own them.  They are entrusted to us.

Admittedly, it is an odd way to view life, particularly when just about everything around us suggests the very opposite. We own. We possess. We keep. That is why stewardship is first and foremost a matter of faith, of setting our heart to a way of understanding ourselves and the world around us.

Throughout our lives the question that stewardship asks is what is faithful use of God’s gifts? How shall I allocate the wealth of time, talent and treasure with which I have been entrusted? For what purposes? With what intent? Throughout our lives, we are given the opportunity and challenge to be a faithful steward of the gifts God has given us.

The year-end giving season is a huge time at the Orange Catholic Foundation. As the year winds to a close, take time to make sure you have given to yourself by giving to others. The remaining weeks of the year give you a final opportunity to balance your income and giving for the tax year. When you give to the Orange Catholic Foundation to benefit your parish, school or favorite ministries, you qualify for an income tax deduction to the extent of the law. Your gift can go a long way toward helping others served throughout our Catholic Community. This is the time to take a moment and consider the gifts you would like to make, then make them happen. Our development staff at the Orange Catholic Foundation are happy to discuss the various options to help you in your giving.

How you make your gift can often affect how much your gift will be. Choosing the best property and timing for your gifts may even allow you to make a larger gift to charity at the same after-tax cost. Also, saving taxes now may even have a “multiplier” effect as the money you save continues to grow for the future.

There are about as many ways to give as there are things to give. Charitable gifts and tax matters should be discussed with your own advisors and family to make sure you get the maximum benefits from your gifts and planning. 

For even more impact, consider a gift today of your IRA distribution, real property, appreciated assets or cash, and complement it with a gift in your will or estate plan. You benefit by seeing your gift in action, while also knowing you are building a legacy that will grow.

There are many ways we can help you fulfill your philanthropic goals while enjoying tax savings and income advantages. Contact us at 714.282.3021 or [email protected] to learn more about how you can make a difference this year. 

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