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John and Jenni Weldin

Why We Give: Leaving a Legacy

John and Jenni Weldin

 

Our journey to support the Pregnancy Aid Clinic started with a desire to leave a legacy rather than only provide short-term support.

 

We decided to create an endowment through the Catholic Foundation of North Georgia in order to leave a legacy that would provide support in perpetuity to an organization that is important to both of us. While many focus on creating generational wealth for their family, our priority is generational philanthropy.

 

We are not extremely wealthy people, but as Catholics we strive to be good stewards of our blessings. We saved over a couple of years to start the endowment. During that time, we discussed what organization we wanted the endowment to benefit.

 

We married later in life, and while we remain open to life, we know that it is unlikely we will have any more biological children. We wanted the void of a biological legacy to be filled with this endowment. That plus our ardent support for life led us to the Pregnancy Aid Clinic. We know that the money we contribute each month will ultimately help make a difference in the lives of more children and families than we can begin to imagine.

 

The John and Jenni Weldin Endowment Fund supports the general purpose of Pregnancy Aid Clinic (PAC) in Georgia.

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Story courtesy of the Pregnancy Aid Clinic, originally published in the Spring 2023 newsletter.

Katie Trocheck Abel

Supporting Schools for Generations

Katie Trocheck Abel Scholarship Fund   

 

Catholic schools produce more than just scholars and test scores. Their focus on spiritual formation and Christian community builds lasting and lifelong neighbors, friends, and disciples. One of these disciples was Katie Trocheck Abel.

 

Katie grew up in Avondale Estates and attended St. Thomas More Catholic School. Graduating in 1996, she went on to attend St. Pius X Catholic High School, and after earning a degree in communications and marrying her husband, Mark, Katie returned to the Atlanta area where her two children, Molly and Griffin, would follow in their loving mother’s footsteps, traversing the halls of St. Thomas More Catholic School. It was in the hallways, classrooms, courts, and carpool lines of St. Thomas More where Katie, Mark, Molly, and Griffin would be embraced by their community in times of joy and hardship.

 

After a brief battle with illness, Katie passed away in 2022, and her parents, Kathy and Tom Trocheck, decided to establish a scholarship fund in Katie’s honor. Having seen two generations of children and grandchildren attend St. Thomas More, the Trochecks recognized the value that a loving, Catholic community can provide not only for the enrichment of the mind but also for the development and support of the soul. By creating this scholarship fund, the Trocheck’s hope to recognize worthy students who will also benefit from the lasting impact that being a part of the St. Thomas More community provided to their daughter.

 

Katie Trocheck Abel was a selfless member of her community. Having herself served as a consistent volunteer at the school and after building lifelong friendships within the St. Thomas More family, today Katie’s legacy lives on in support of the church and school which embraced her family in its darkest moments. As a result of her parents’ generous donation, many donations from family and friends, and partnership with the Catholic Foundation of North Georgia, now more children will have the opportunity to grow up in a community surrounded by the faith-filled disciples of Christ who offered so much to Katie in her life.

 

Give to the Katie Trocheck Abel Scholarship Fund

The Holowka Family

A Gift in Thanksgiving to a School Community

Creating an insurance policy to benefit an endowment fund

 

Samantha Holowka and her husband, Mark, have two young children who attend Queen of Angels Catholic School. Samantha said she and Mark have learned so much through the school community about communicating effectively and lovingly when teaching their children to do their best in everything they do. She added that the school has strengthened the spirituality of both the children and her entire family.

 

The Holowkas knew they wanted to use their talents, time, and treasure to help secure the future of their school community so others could continue to benefit from the loving environment that has had such an impact on them. As they looked at different channels of giving, they decided to establish a life insurance policy for the Queen of Angels endowment fund that would allow them to have a greater effect than direct cash donations given each year.

 

Samantha, a wealth management advisor with Northwestern Mutual, had seen firsthand the impact a life insurance policy can make on families and organizations when incorporated in a family’s strategic plan. She shared, “[an insurance policy] is a tool that can have a greater impact than other gifts because the cost is pennies compared to the dollar value of the gift.”

 

Her company has a matching dollar policy for life insurance premiums, which she leveraged. She also receives a tax deduction on the amount of the premiums each year.

 

Samantha stressed that you do not have to have a deep knowledge of finance to establish an insurance policy that benefits a charity or endowment fund. She did suggest talking with a financial advisor who is well versed in permanent life insurance solutions, retirement, and estate “distribution” planning to help you achieve your giving goals.

 

The Holowkas’ gift to the Queen of Angels Catholic School Endowment Fund will help the school continue to teach children and families positive and loving Catholic values for years to come.

 

Article written in 2020.