Catholic Charities Appeal Reaches $10.1 Million; Just $500,000 Needed to Make Goal | Community Spirit

BUFFALO, N.Y., May 17, 2012 – With six weeks to go in the 2012 Appeal in support of Catholic Charities of Buffalo, the campaign reached $10,105,860.25 in cash and pledges today, leaving less than $500,000 needed to hit the final goal of $10.6 million. The Appeal now stands at 95.3 percent of goal.

Targeted efforts, like an in-home mailing to lapsed donors and personal outreach by Appeal volunteer leaders to large gift donors, have helped push the Appeal to its current level.

A total of $494,139 is still needed to achieve the campaign’s goal by fiscal year-end, June 30.

“It is a testament to the hard work of our volunteers in the parishes and our leadership team to have arrived at this $10.1 million mark in mid-May,” said Sister Mary McCarrick, OSF, diocesan director for Catholic Charities. “I am also deeply grateful to each and every donor who has responded with a gift, but I realize we have not achieved our final goal and these final dollars are the most difficult to raise.”

David Nasca, 2012 Appeal chair, remarked on his appreciation and his confidence in the Western New York community.

“We’re excited to reach this point today, and we are hopeful in our ability to meet our goal,” said Nasca. “We still have some work to do, but we are confident in the generosity of Western New Yorkers.

He added, “With 140,000 people needing our services annually, we can’t afford not to make our objective. This is why we have been diligent in our efforts surrounding education,  sharing with our donors exactly how their gift makes a difference for people in need in our community.”

The 2012 Appeal is running about $435,000 (3.2 percent) ahead of last year. On May 16, 2011, the Appeal had raised $9.67 million, representing 92.1 percent of its $10.5 million goal.

Sister Mary encouraged community members to support the Appeal in its final weeks.

“If you have not yet sent in your gift, please take the opportunity to do so now and help us go over the top,” she said.

Donations to the Appeal can be made through Diocese of Buffalo parishes or directly to Catholic Charities. Donations and pledges are accepted at Catholic Charities headquarters at 741 Delaware Avenue, Buffalo; by calling 218-1400; or via its secure website at www.ccwny.org.

The 2012 Appeal is under the patronage of Blessed John Paul II.

Catholic Charities is the most comprehensive direct human service provider serving all eight counties of Western New York, with 70 programs and 61 locations. Founded in 1923, Catholic Charities also provides, without regard to religious affiliation, comprehensive counseling services for children and families, anti-domestic violence programming and emergency services, among other social and mental health services.

For more information about the services of Catholic Charities, go to www.ccwny.org or call (716) 218-1400. Check out Catholic Charities on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ccbuffalo and on Twitter at www.twitter.com/ccbuffalo.

                                                                                                   # # #