"That's Terrific!" exclaimed Shirley Lytle, when told that the Catholic Charities Endowment had reached One Million Dollars.
Lytle started her employment at Catholic Charities in February 1990---just a little over a year before the launch of the Endowment for the Future Fund. "I started as the Assistant Search Coordinator. Little did I know that development and fundraising would play such a large part in my future with the agency," said Lytle.
The endowment drive was conducted as a series of regional campaigns over several years.
"One of our adoptive parents jump-started the Endowment and continued to be a vital part of the Endowment throughout the campaign," Lytle recalled. "After the Board approved the hiring of fundraiser Kent Stehilk, Kent and I began by doing a feasibility study in various parishes throughout the Diocese. We identified key leaders in each parish, selected workers and then determined a list of parish donors. At whatever parish we were at, we prepared donor packets for the parish workers and began meeting with them on a bi-monthly basis; he made the presentations and I handled the day-to-day operation of the campaign. Pledges were made monthly, quarterly, semi-annually or annually over a three-year period. Reminder letters were sent out accordingly until the pledge was paid in full."
When the campaign concluded, the goal of $500,000 was exceeded by $150,000. Since then, the $650,000 Endowment has provided the agency with an annual source of revenue based on the interest rate.
"The experience of putting together the Endowment Campaign was invaluable and most rewarding, leading to many other development endeavors with Catholic Charities," said Lytle. "It also gave me the opportunity to meet and work with so many wonderful people throughout the diocese."
The Catholic Charities Endowment exists to ensure that the agency has a steady stream of income to provide current services and to broaden our reach into new areas of support both now and in the future. There are several ways to make a donation to the Endowment Fund:
DONATE BY PHONE
Call (620) 227-1562
M-F 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. CST
DONATE BY MAIL
Mail check or money order to:
Catholic Charities
906 Central Ave
Dodge City KS 67801
DONATE ONLINE
Click here to make a secure online donation.
|
DODGE CITY 906 Central Ave 620-227-1562 |
GARDEN CITY 603 North 8th 620-272-0010 |
GREAT BEND 2201 16th St 620-792-1393 |
