Updated August 2024

In 2021, a coalition of experts in pediatric health declared a national emergency in child and adolescent mental health. Rates of childhood mental health concerns and suicide have risen steadily since 2010, and by 2018 suicide was the second leading cause of death for youth ages 10-24.¹

In 2020, Foundation staff were having conversations about this topic with a number of donors who were concerned about this issue, especially in light of the strains of the pandemic on school-aged children. The Pillar of Hope Fund was created to provide counseling and intervention services for low-income students attending Catholic schools in Santa Clara County. The fund has been granting since 2021 and has already made a significant impact on children, families, and teachers in underserved communities.

By Marie Galetto-Dugoni

The pastor, staff and volunteers at Saint Victor Parish work hard to create engaging, spiritually fulfilling experiences for their parishioners. In 2017, Fr. Mark Gazzingan, Tamra Nelson, and the parish staff decided to try something new. The Catholic Community Foundation offers grants in the area of Pastoral Ministry Training and Formation which are used to enhance parishioners’ spiritual life. Tamra decided to apply for a grant in this category to fund a new idea – retreats during Advent and Lent. Now, seven years on, the retreats are hugely popular among parishioners, and it’s common knowledge that you need to sign up for the retreats early or risk the event filling up.

It’s life-giving to see our parishioners come together and grow together in their faith so enthusiastically,”

Tamra Nelson, Saint Victor Parish Business Manager

Events like these are only successful because of the hard work of many hands. Staff and volunteers work hard to plan engaging speakers, crafts and activities for children (and adults!), reflection periods, prayer service, and meals. Even the pandemic couldn’t stop the team at St. Victor. When in-person retreats weren’t possible, the staff put together a “retreat in a box” which was distributed and then the supplies in the box were used during the virtual retreat. “People loved them,” says Tamra. “We wanted to create a high-quality event, even if we couldn’t participate together in person. People’s response was really positive, and we’ve had a lot of interest in the retreats in following years as well.” Thanks in part to the grant from the Foundation, these events are free for the 225 parishioners who participate.

In 2024, St. Victor Parish received five grants for various programs through the Foundation’s Spring Grant Cycle in the areas of Liturgical Music, Parish Outreach, Parish Stewardship, Pastoral Ministry Training and Formation and Lay & Religious Leadership. These grants will help the parish provide enriching and vital programs for parishioners and the broader community. The Foundation is proud to support programs at parishes throughout the Diocese of San José through the Spring Grant Cycle.

To learn more about the Foundation’s granting, visit catholiccf.org/grants.