The Catholic online giving platform, which activated its giving portal March 26 to help Catholic churches, schools and ministries across the United States seek donations during the coronavirus pandemic, not only has added 11 new dioceses to its fold but also expanded to its first dioceses outside the continental U.S. – two dioceses in Puerto Rico.
To give to Catholic causes in the Archdiocese of New Orleans, go to
https://neworleans.igivecatholic.org.
“This is the first time that we’re offering outside the continental U.S.,” said Cory Howat, executive director of the Catholic Community Foundation of the Archdiocese of New Orleans, which founded “#iGiveCatholic as a 24-hour, online giving platform in 2015 and shepherded its growth to $7.6 million last year.
The 11 new participating dioceses – the new program is called #iGiveCatholicTogether” – raised the total of diocesan participants to 50 including the Giving Day.
Howat also has held teleconferences with representatives of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops and other national ministries with the possibility of bringing the #iGiveCatholic portal to many more.
“What we’ve found is how appreciative everyone is because they couldn’t have gotten this level of support up and running in time,” Howat said.