Five tips for making generosity a core family value

By Cory Howat
Executive Director, Catholic Community Foundation

Giving connects us as Catholics. At the Catholic Community Foundation (CCF), we partner with donors, just like you, to meet their current and long-term giving goals.

Oftentimes, we hear from donors who view giving as an either-or situation: Either I take care of my family or I support my parish, alma mater or favorite nonprofit.

But what if I told you that you can have it both ways? By giving through CCF, you can provide for your family and give to the charities that you love.

Many of us equate being generous with money. And that’s part of it. However, caring for your family’s well-being or supporting a charity’s good work is more than how you allocate the assets that you have accrued over your lifetime. Being generous is also about involving your family in giving decisions that instill valuable lessons and create a generosity mindset that impacts future generations.

How do you do this? Whether you are a parent to young kids or a parent of adult children with kids of their own, here are five tips for making generosity a core family value at any stage in your life.

► Introduce generosity at an early age. Generosity is a fundamental tenet of our Catholic faith and a concept that even small kids can understand. At Christmas, adopt a child in need. Involve your children or grandchildren in picking out items, and talk to them about the importance of giving back during a highly commercialized season.

► Set a giving example. Lead by example. If you donate a certain percentage of your annual income, encourage your children or grandchildren to do the same (or have them pick their own percentage) with their allowances. Of course, teach them about saving, spending and investing the rest!

► Pick causes or charities that speak to everyone. Children and grandchildren should have a stake in your collective generosity. Talk with your family. What matters most to them? What causes or charities move them? Decide together how you want to make our community a better place, but keep in mind that this may mean giving to organizations as a family and/or on an individual basis.

► Include your family in the nitty gritty. Involve your family in the process of setting up a donor-advised fund or endowment fund. Ask them to help you make an online donation on behalf of the family. By showing them how easy giving back can be, your children and grandchildren will be more likely to do so with their own families.

► Make giving engaging. Help your children and grandchildren see the impact of their giving firsthand. Visit or volunteer at the charities that you give to as a family or that they support individually. Giving back not only develops financial skills but also builds character.

The Catholic Community Foundation (CCF) is a separately incorporated 501(c)(3) organization that spiritually and financially enhances and sustains the charitable, educational and pastoral ministries of the Archdiocese of New Orleans. We offer donors philanthropic expertise, faith-based priorities and morally and socially responsible investing. By giving through the foundation, you receive not only tax benefits but also the assurance that your gifts are effectively managed by our professional staff.

The CCF is here to help you bring your Catholic legacy to life in a smart and effective way. Want to learn how you can pass on your valuables and your values? Please contact executive director Cory J. Howat at [email protected] for more information.

Howat has worked in the nonprofit sector for many years, gaining experience in both programming and development. Before being chosen to lead CCF in 2017, Cory was the director of stewardship of the Archdiocese of New Orleans for five years. Cory is also the president of #iGiveCatholic, the U.S. Catholic Church’s Giving Day, which reaches donors in all 50 states and raised more than $12.7 million in just 24 hours last year.