Series of donations and connections prove ‘generosity invites generosity’

By Natalie Hoefer

The quote from Jolinda Moore says it all: “Generosity invites generosity.”

The situation that led to the quote from the executive director of the archdiocese’s Office of Stewardship and Development and Catholic Community Foundation began in 2022.

That year, an anonymous donor offered a gift of $10,000 to the archdiocese to assist people coming out of prison obtain work clothes and equipment they would need to start a new job.

“Can you imagine walking out and having no one to call, no one to ask for money, and you can’t get employment because you don’t have shoes or the proper pants?” says Deacon John Cord, coordinator of the archdiocese’s Corrections Ministry.

From that donation, he created the archdiocese’s Re-entry Gift Program in 2023. Case workers for those re-entering society request specific items a person needs for employment, and Deacon Cord makes the purchase using the donated funds. (Related: Matching grant will double donations to Re-Entry Gift Program through year’s end)

Stories poured in of grateful people who were able to start a new life because items purchased through the program allowed them to begin a job almost immediately after being released. Two of those stories were shared in an article in the July 19 issue of The Criterion (tinyurl.com/Re-entryProgram).

The article also raised awareness that, while the original donor continued to contribute to the program, the needs were outpacing the funds.

Deacon Cord was thrilled to receive roughly $4,000 in individual checks after the article was published—generosity invites generosity.

Then Moore received a call from a person who read the article. He wanted to meet with her to learn more about the program.

“We met at a restaurant,” Moore recalls. “It turns out this person manages a trust fund for a Christian family from Seymour. He said the Re-entry Gift Program very much aligned with the values and spirit of what the donor who established the trust would have wanted.”

The trust manager said the market and other factors led to the trust having additional funds this year to contribute to the Corrections Ministry program.

Then he posed a question to Moore, asking, “How do we make this gift even more meaningful?”

The decision was to make the donation from the trust a matching gift.

“Anyone who makes a new gift to the Re-entry Gift Program through the end of the year—no matter the amount—the trust will match dollar-for-dollar up to a combined total of $40,000,” Moore explains, noting the offer includes the $4,000 already contributed since July 19. “This could result in $80,000 for the program,” proving yet again that generosity invites generosity.

Deacon Cord considers the potential good that can come from the continued funding of the Re-entry Gift Program.

“Think of the hundreds of lives that will be impacted, all the people who will be able to start a new life and restore their dignity because they have a pair of shoes or the right tools to start a job right after they’re released,” he says.

“We’re taking their hopelessness and turning it into hope,” Moore adds.

But the Holy Spirit was not finished that day at the restaurant.

While Moore and the trust manager were chatting, she recalls, “This gentleman walked up and said, ‘I overheard your conversation. I have a friend who’s involved in a ministry that would be a great connection to what the archdiocese is trying to accomplish. Give this guy a call.’ And he hands me a napkin with a name and cell phone number.”

Moore asked whom she should say suggested that she reach out, and he responded, “Actually, he’s already gotten a text from me. He’ll be expecting your call.”

“Deacon John has made that connection, had some great dialogue with the individual, and they’re talking about the what-ifs,” says Moore.

Once more, generosity invites generosity.

“I walked into LePeep [restaurant] just expecting a Diet Coke and good conversation,” Moore notes with a chuckle.

“It’s just that moment of grace and mercy and the Holy Spirit’s presence. It started with one person who saw a need to bring this program to life with their generosity, then a deceased man whose generosity is still doing great things, and because of that, this other connection was made.

“When we act on nudges, the Holy Spirit introduces great possibilities. Generosity invites generosity.” †