26 May Mother Teresa Women’s Giving Circles Grants $93,000 to Ten Local Nonprofits Amid Pandemic

In its third year of infancy, the Mother Teresa Women’s Giving Circle members recently granted out $93,000 to ten local nonprofits focusing on impacting women, children and families. Despite coming off of a year of Pandemic and multiple hurricanes, more than 160 Catholic women came together this Spring to make a difference locally, leading with prayer and allowing the Lord to guide their grateful generosity. Although the pandemic required the giving circle to cancel several of their spring events, the members creatively brought their efforts to a virtual environment. Over the course of one week, over 115 members viewed presentations from ten nonprofits and took part in a virtual voting process selecting six nonprofits to receive grant funding.

On Tuesday, May 25th, Bishop Fabre along with the members of the Mother Teresa Women’s Giving Circle came together at the pastoral center and virtually to make presentations of $93,000 in grants to these local nonprofits, all with the direct intent of making a difference in the lives of women, children and families within the Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux:

• Dulac Community Center ($5,000 continue to feed the needy and provide computer services to the community. They will expand their food bank distribution, and help children after school tutoring and the elderly who have little to no schooling)
• Hope Restored ($5,000 to continue much-needed training for nurses, directors and managers)
• Friends of PACT Place ($7000 to upgrade furniture to create an inviting environment and assist the PACT Place staff in enhancing its current Children’s Orientation process by creating new tools to provide to children)
• Gulf Coast Social Services ($8,000 assist in recruiting, training, and retaining Direct Service Workers to provide services to current and future clients)
• Helio Foundation ($8,000 to continue providing food to our Nicholls and Village East Pantries)
• Catholic Community Center ($10,000 for their school assistance program in purchasing supplies for more than 200 students in the South Lafourche area)
• Lifted by Love ($10,000 to help with program expenses for Lifted by Love’s biggest program: their transitional housing program)
• Terrebonne Children’s Advocacy Center ($12,000 to extend their current services to the high risk youth in assisting these at risk youth with a consistent food source outside of schools)
• Individual and Family Assistance ($13,000 to support of families who simply need a hand up to support their families during difficult times)
• Caritas Food Pantry – East Houma ($15,000 to provide food for families in, also to provide personal hygiene and household supplies to help families improve and/or maintain a healthy lifestyle)

“It has been a truly humbling experience to watch the members of the Mother Teresa Women’s Giving Circle to live out Mother Teresa’s mission to help women, children and families,” said Amy Ponson, executive director of the Catholic Foundation of South Louisiana. “Over the course of three years, despite continued challenges we face daily, the Catholic women within our diocese have lead with their prayers, their hearts and their vision to make our community a better place. Our vision was to build a community of Catholic women where every gift, no matter how large or small, would make an impact locally. We are honored to have been able to grant out $93,000 this year and hope to continue to grow our support throughout our local community.”