Love Builds Hope Foundation

The initial work of the foundation involved strategic planning and preparation for a comprehensive diocesan campaign with a goal to raise $24 million to sustain and promote Catholic parishes, mission, schools, ministries, and agencies. A campaign team was developed and trained to animate the campaign. This represented new hires for the Love Builds Hope Foundation and contractually engaging staff from Greater Mission led by their president, Thomas Sonni. Digital and print campaign materials were designed and produced for the campaign. The campaign is positioned to have a transformational impact on the life of the Church at the parish, school, and diocesan levels, expanding and enhancing how one of the poorest regions in the nation is ministered and served. The investment in this effort was made by the Diocese of Brownsville through the Catholic Foundation of the Rio Grande Valley. Given the COVID-19 pandemic, churches were shut down and the campaigns designed to take place in every parish over a series of three to four waves was suspended. The Love Builds Hope Foundation pivoted to focus on raising lead gifts for the new priority of helping its parishes and schools to recover from a dramatic loss in their income, as well as meet the needs of people in the "coloniascommunities where they serve. The RGV Crisis Response Fund was established and more than $1.3 million has already been pledged toward it, despite the severe economic downturn in the Rio Grande Valley and the requirement to conduct most solicitations through online group events via Zoom. That success has also helped position the Diocese of Brownsville for success in its parish lead gifts and full campaign efforts once they can be resumed.