“Jesus sat down opposite the place where the offerings were put and watched the crowd putting their money into the temple treasury. Many rich people threw in large amounts. But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins, worth only a few cents. Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said ‘Truly, I tell you, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything – all she had to live on” (Mark: 12:41)
As NCCF starts its 27th year this well-known story of the ‘widow’s mite’ comes to mind. Since our inception, NCCF has received $60 million in contributions from donors around the United States, and our trustees have authorized (at the request of our donors) the distribution of 6400 grants totaling $30 million to recipient organizations in the US and in two dozen other countries. That one-tenth of these contributions and distributions occurred in 2023 is an indication of the accelerating pace of our growth. It is also an indication of the liberality of our trustees who have no hesitation about honoring the legitimate distribution requests of our donors.
The mathematically adept among you will calculate that the average distribution over the past 27 years is about $4600. While this is correct, it should be noted that the amount is skewed by a number of sizeable grants, including those in the hundreds of thousands of dollars. Our ‘typical’ distribution is less than $4600.
This observation is not to disparage the generosity of our larger donors whose financial contributions can affect considerable progress in the programs of the receiving organizations. Clearly, this monetary assistance is critical and greatly appreciated. Rather, the observation is to underscore a point about philanthropy, especially Catholic philanthropy.
After the passage on the widow’s mite, the next lines in Mark’s Gospel say about Jesus: “As he was leaving the temple, one of his disciples said to him, ‘Look at the size of those stones, Master! Look at the size of those buildings!’ Jesus said to him: ‘You see these great buildings? Not a single stone will be left on another: everything will be destroyed”. Isn’t there irony in Jesus’ identifying the unmatched value of the poor widow’s contribution while at the same time knowing from a utilitarian perspective it would lead to naught?
Philanthropy is not just an outreach with material support. It is also – even more so -an expression of solidarity. The care, time, and thought invested in smaller grants carry at least, if not more, as much ‘force’ as do the larger ones in establishing and reinforcing the bonds of humanity between giver and receiver. Regardless of their size, grants convey more than dollars. They bring hope and encouragement.
The Temple was eventually destroyed; funded projects often fail. Solidarity is indelible.