Catholic Charities goals unmet
Donations to Catholic Charities’ biggest fundraiser are down this year.
Four days before Christmas, the nonprofit has raised just $350,540 – less than 50 percent of its Christmas Collection goal. Catholic Charities hopes to raise $725,000 during this holiday season to provide food, shelter and other services to nearly 50,000 people.
“It’s not the end of the world, but it makes us a little nervous,” said executive director Rob McCann.
According to its Dec. 20 total, 2,223 donors have given an average gift of $158.
During the same time period last year, the agency had already collected $381,880 from 2,615 donors. Despite the initial worry that there wouldn’t be enough donations last year, the money suddenly appeared – more than 4,300 donors contributed a record-breaking total of $728,000.
McCann and others at the nonprofit hope that auspicious occurrence will repeat itself this year. “We have faith that people in Eastern Washington will come through,” he said.
Still, McCann can’t help but worry, especially with all the confusion surrounding the Diocese of Spokane’s bankruptcy filing. Separately incorporated from the diocese, Catholic Charities receives no funding from the Annual Catholic Appeal, McCann has repeatedly emphasized. All the funds donated to the Christmas Collection will help the needy and not be used to pay attorneys or other costs of the Chapter 11 bankruptcy.
“There’s a lot of fear out there,” he said. “The average Catholic in the pews doesn’t know what to think about this bankruptcy.”
To dispel all the rumors, Catholic Charities sent 38,000 letters this week complete with a list of frequently asked questions relating to the agency’s relationship with the diocese and how the Christmas Collection funds are used.
In the letter, McCann stressed that Catholic Charities isn’t being sued by victims of clergy sexual abuse, nor is it giving any money toward any settlement. “We have not, could not, and will not simply give, contribute, loan or donate monies to the diocese to help pay off their settlement with the victims of sexual abuse,” according to the letter. “We believe that to do so would be a misuse of funds entrusted to us to serve the poor and would also violate the norms and laws that govern nonprofit activity in the State of Washington.
“All donations given are used to alleviate the suffering of the poor and vulnerable through our 15 programs in the 13 counties of Eastern Washington.”
This past year, McCann has received numerous e-mails, phone calls and visits from donors, volunteers and others associated with Catholic Charities.
“Roughly half of the (people) who contacted me, said ‘Rob, don’t you dare give one penny to those lawyers or to the diocese or to that settlement – it would be a misuse of the money given to you by your donors!’ ” McCann wrote in the letter. “Roughly the other half … said, ‘Rob, if you abandon your Church in this, its greatest time of need, when all the rest of us parishioners and Catholic organizations are chipping in to help, then you are not welcome at my parish anymore and you are just a ‘fair weather Catholic!’ “
While the agency’s connections with the parishes “are the reason we exist,” McCann said, Catholic Charities has no choice but to follow the law that governs nonprofit organizations in this state.