#iGiveCatholic Raises Over $800,000 for Local Catholic Ministries in the Diocese

The results of the Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux's #iGiveCatholic are in!  With 1,411 donors, a total of $842,878 was raised for our local community during the 24-hour online giving event held on #GivingTuesday (November 30, 2021).  The Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux raised the second-highest figure of all Louisiana dioceses, and was ranked seventh nationally.

"I want to express my heartfelt gratitude to the dear people of the Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux for the success of #iGiveCatholic," said Bishop Shelton J. Fabre.  "Thank you to those who prayed for the success of the campaign and for those who were able to financially give.  Even with everything we've been through this year, for us to raise over $800,000 is quite impressive, and I thank all of you from the bottom of my heart."

Within the diocese, $189,078 was raised for Catholic Charities, a figure which topped the list locally and ranked eighth nationally.  Their campaign targeted the support of their mission, focusing on their four service pillars:  feeding, clothing, sheltering and comforting.

Nationally, over $16.5 million was raised for 1,620 ministries this week - making this the most successful Catholic crowdfunding event to date.


"The Catholic Foundation is proud to host #iGiveCatholic each year for the Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux," said Amy Ponson, executive director of the Catholic Foundation of South Louisiana.  "#iGiveCatholic gives church parishes, schools and nonprofits the ability to engage the community together as ONE to give back to the ministries that they are so passionate about.  While we hope to raise enough funds to accomplish the project each ministry is seeking, our main focus each year is to build community.  We want to engage individuals and families together to pray for and gift what they can and this year we were blown away that more than 1,400 families helped give big and give Catholic!  Our average gift for $250 to the campaign.

"Our Catholic schools this year took that to heart and our top three ministries who engaged the most families were St. Francis de Sales Cathedral School, St. Genevieve School, and St. Mary's Nativity School.  There simply are not enough words to express our gratitude for all who prayed for and made this year such a success even through the most difficult circumstances we could have imagined with Hurricane Ida.  I say it often and I will say it again, never underestimate the people of the bayou and this diocese.  Our people are the absolute best God has made," Ponson added.