Donors can support Catholic education through variety of planned giving options

Want to give the gift of Catholic education to a student in the Diocese of Joliet who otherwise could not afford one?   Why?

“The first question to ask yourself is ‘why,’ suggests CEF Executive Director, Jennifer Georgis.   “If you have deep emotion for improving the life of a child through a Catholic education, you can identify more easily the specific planned gift option that best meets your needs.”

The Catholic Education Foundation offers donors several planned giving options from which to choose.   Some of those giving opportunities include a charitable bequest in your will, gifts that pay you a lifetime income and donor advised funds that are based on the donor’s flexibility.

Consult the CEF and your tax advisor to identify the planned gift opportunity that makes the most sense to you considering your charitable desire and your estate planning.

Whichever method that you consider best, know your contributions help further the Catholic Education Foundation’s mission to raise the resources necessary to allow children in need to attend elementary and secondary Catholic schools throughout the Diocese of Joliet.

In 2019-20, the CEF was able to distribute $2.2 million of tuition assistance grants to 1,547 students.

And over $24 million in financial-need based scholarships have been disbursed since the Foundation’s inception in 1996.

Besides supporting the future of Catholic education, donors can rest assured the funds they entrust to the Foundation will be professionally managed. A volunteer board of directors manages CEF assets and provides strict accountability to donors.

All contributions are accepted with the intention of providing optimal income tax deductions for the donor.

For more information about contributing a planned or memorial gift, please contact the CEF Office at 815/221-6127 or www.CEFjoliet.org.