ATLANTA—On Dec. 3, Catholics across the nation will participate in this year’s eighth annual #iGiveCatholic campaign. Parishes, schools and nonprofit organizations will be impacted by the generosity of donors in the Archdiocese of Atlanta.

While the official day of donation is GivingTuesday, supporters can donate two weeks in advance, starting Nov. 18. As a 24-hour online campaign, donors can give to multiple communities.

Launched locally by the Catholic Foundation of North Georgia, #iGiveCatholic is celebrated annually since 2015 and has become an important event for organizations in the archdiocese.

Juliet Greco, vice president of development and donor relations for the Catholic Foundation of North Georgia, said the event is one that is always heartwarming.

“It’s very moving to see a community come together and embrace their faith during the giving season,” Greco said. “I’m so grateful this campaign has been continuously supported.”

The vision, Greco notes, is that the Catholic community is given the financial resources needed to achieve their goals and make a difference.

This year, 90 Catholic organizations in the Archdiocese of Atlanta are registered to participate.

Hispanic communities impacted

In 2023, Centro Hispano Marista, an educational nonprofit program at the Marist School that helps adults obtain their GED diploma, had an initial goal of raising $1,500. The program reached $1,775, which helped the program provide GED preparation classes.

This year, Divine Mercy Mission is participating in the campaign for the first time. Located in Brookhaven, Divine Mercy Mission is a place of peace and security for the Hispanic community and is home to more than 1,000 families.

“We are blessed to be here, and we have many projects in mind that we hope we can improve,” Evelin Soto, business manager at Divine Mercy Mission, said. “We are praying that the Lord continues to help us in our goals.”

The organization wishes to raise funds to support improvements throughout the church, including funds for their ministry groups and adding available parking space.

The Divine Mercy Mission, Brookhaven, will participate in #iGiveCatholic this year, one of 90 churches, schools or organizations to take part. They hope to fund several projects including one to expand available parking at the church. Photo by Johnathon Kelso

Throughout the last few years, Greco said, Divine Mercy Mission has been working alongside the Catholic Foundation of North Georgia to create marketing materials in the Spanish language.

“Adding these materials to the website and promotions has made it easier for Hispanic and Spanish-speaking organizations to participate,” Greco noted.

The 2023 Giving Day

Last year, nearly 4,000 donors gave a total of $1,081,285 in donations to 92 participating groups in the Archdiocese of Atlanta.

The organization with the highest earnings was St. Pius X High School, which raised $156,423 in donations. Queen of Angels School and Blessed Trinity High School in Roswell benefited as well, raising $99,564 and $74,482, respectfully. All three schools used the donations to support their annual school fund.

St. John Neumann Regional School in Lilburn successfully raised $22,161. Their goal for the campaign was to raise at least $10,000. With overwhelming contributions, the school boosted their annual fund, which promotes technology, arts and athletics.

Greco said she enjoys the excitement students have for the campaign and hopes that the schools continue to participate.

“It’s great that the kids are always so enthusiastic about their school and community,” Greco noted.

“They’re the future of our church, so I appreciate those who believe in and support the Catholic education,” said Greco.

The Cathedral of Christ the King raised $76,430 in donations last year, which helped the church install automatic doors to increase accessibility.

Purification Heritage Center raised $65,840, which helped kickstart their Ministry and Service Ambassador program.

The campaign will impact schools, communities, parishes and nonprofits across the archdiocese, and will promote “faith-filled values,” Greco said.

Participating organizations are listed on #iGiveCatholic’s website, atlanta.igivecatholic.org.