Investing with Faith / Chris Hirschfeld
A ‘thank you’ to donors and all who help the CCF in its mission of charitable giving
As president of the advisory board to the archdiocese’s Catholic Community Foundation (CCF), I have had the benefit of seeing firsthand the enormous generosity, service and leadership among our faithful community.
During this season of giving, I wanted to take a moment to express a heartfelt “thank you” to the entire Catholic community within the Archdiocese of Indianapolis.
For more than 35 years, CCF has been dedicated to helping the faithful maximize the impact of their sacrificial gifts within our communities. These generous gifts create lasting legacies that benefit our Catholic parishes, schools and ministries for generations to come.
The foundation would not be successful without the generous donors, foundation leadership, staff and volunteers who willingly serve this organization and the entire Catholic community of our archdiocese.
Because of the generosity of our donors, many of whom go unrecognized, CCF manages approximately $285 million in investments that are used to provide annual, restricted distributions for parishes, schools and ministries.
In fiscal year 2025 alone, the foundation was able to distribute more than $10 million in proceeds to various parishes, schools and ministries within our archdiocese. None of this would have been possible without you and your generous gifts. Thank you!
The task of managing the CCF is to ensure every donor’s intent is met with the strictest fiduciary standards and, according to Church teaching, cannot be done by any one individual.
Instead, a team is in place, allowing donors to give with confidence, knowing that their legacy gifts will be used exclusively for the purposes for which they were intended. With this in mind, I also want to thank the countless individuals who make the work of the CCF possible.
Thank you to the staff at the foundation that operates efficiently and stands ready to assist donors and ultimately converts a donor’s intent into reality. Thank you to past and current volunteer leadership teams that have served as advisors to the foundation. Your experiences and insights bring a wealth of ideas to ensure the long-term success of the foundation and its ability to meet the needs of its beneficiaries.
Thank you to the staff and volunteers at every Catholic parish, school and ministry throughout the archdiocese. The critical service you provide is a fundamental example of our role as Christian stewards and serves as a daily reminder of why the CCF exists.
Finally, I would like to thank Archbishop Charles C. Thompson, who continues to provide his leadership, guidance and unwavering commitment to the needs of our Catholic community.
If you have not done so, please use this holiday season as a reminder to make a gift of security and peace of mind to your family and loved ones by creating a will.
Understanding that the needs within our communities continue to grow, if you would like to have a multi-generational impact on your community, please consider a legacy gift in your estate plan.
On behalf of all the foundation leadership, staff and volunteers, we are honored to be able to assist in the mission of charitable giving that serves our Catholic communities throughout central and southern Indiana. Please call the archdiocesan Office of Stewardship and Development to learn more about planned giving opportunities at 317-236-1482 or e-mail ccf@archindy.org.
(Chris Hirschfeld is a member of Christ the King Parish in Indianapolis, and currently serves as the co-chair for the endowment committee and president of the advisory board for the Catholic Community Foundation. Tax or legal information provided herein is not intended as tax or legal advice. Always consult with your legal, tax or financial advisors before implementing any gift plan.) †