This week: The Catholic Foundation, Presbyterian Night Shelter, Southwest Transplant Alliance
Strategic business development and fundraising professional Kelly Halaszyn has joined The Catholic Foundation as senior development officer. Halaszyn bolsters the leadership and strength of the Foundation’s development team that works closely with donors and professional advisors to serve donors and the needs of the Dallas-area community.
In this leadership role within their Resource Development department, Bertha will oversee strategies that strengthen relationships with the donors and community partners who fuel their mission.
Presbyterian Night Shelter is pleased to welcome Rachel Navejar Phillips as their incoming Board Chair. With over 15 years’ involvement with the Shelter, she brings tremendous experience and enthusiasm to her new role.
They would also like to thank Amy Brown as their outgoing Board Chair, who has served in that capacity since 2023. Under her steady leadership, they launched WOODWORKS by UpSpire, and also celebrated the grand openings of Journey Home Housing at Seminary, Camp Bowie West, and Crowley Road.
At a time when the need for organ and tissue donation continues to grow across Texas, Southwest Transplant Alliance (STA) announces Scott Bennett as Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer. Bennett joins the nonprofit ready to build upon its strong operational foundations, drive greater consistency across all service lines and ensure more patients receive the lifesaving transplants they’re waiting for.
UpSpire is proud to welcome Tiffany Taylor as their new Warehouse Manager! Tiffany joins them following a long career of service with the City of Fort Worth, bringing her operational experience and a heart for community to our team. A graduate of Dunbar High School right here in Fort Worth, she understands the power of opportunity and local impact.
The Catholic Foundation awarded $1.47 million to 31 North Texas Catholic schools and churches, plus community organizations during its 2025 spring grant ceremony.
Funded by the Foundation’s unrestricted Philanthropy Fund and funds established by individuals and families to carry out their charitable goals, the grants support a diverse mix of projects that include playground and classroom renovations, security enhancements and fencing, sanctuary lighting, baptismal font, work study shuttle bus, plus kitchen, roof and window replacements.
The grants also go toward the Dallas Bishop’s Burse which can be used at the bishop’s discretion to assist local charitable organizations. In addition, today’s grants assist the Foundation’s President’s Discretionary Fund that serves local organizations and projects in need, the Work of Heart Awards that recognize full-time employees at Dallas-area Catholic schools and a designated high school tuition assistance program in which funds go to students whose parents work in some capacity for the Diocese of Dallas.
“The generosity of The Catholic Foundation donors continues to shine brightly across North Texas,” said Matt Kramer, president and CEO of The Catholic Foundation. “These grants strengthen the vital work of our Catholic churches, Catholic schools, and nonprofit organizations, empowering them to deepen their impact and uplift the lives of those they serve with faith and compassion.”
Twice per year, The Catholic Foundation distributes community grants to local Catholic churches and schools and nonprofit organizations. Grant requests are reviewed by the Board of Trustees’ Distribution Committee, followed by documented site visits by Trustees through which the recipients and funding amounts are determined.
Over time, The Catholic Foundation has provided $313 million in grants to religious, charitable and educational organizations, of which more $219 million has been distributed in the past 10 years alone. In 2024, The Catholic Foundation awarded more than 3,000 grants totaling $25.6 million to more than 965 organizations.
The 2025 spring grant recipients include:
Catholic Charities Dallas – Brady Center: Senior services (With partial funding from the Louise Emma Buhrer Endowment Fund, Harper Senior Citizens Fund and the R. Cardis & Grace DeLee Stubbs Fund)
Diocese of Dallas – Catholic Schools Office: Field trips(With partial funding from the William & Mary Jane Jaspersen Fund)
Discalced Carmelite Nuns of Dallas: Generator(With partial funding from the Bernard (Brian) Bradley Endowment Fund)
The Catholic Foundation awarded $1.7 million to 34 Dallas-area Catholic schools and churches, plus community organizations during its 2024 spring grant ceremony on April 18.
Funded by the Foundation’s unrestricted Philanthropy Fund and funds established by individuals and families to carry out their charitable goals, the grants support a diverse mix of projects that include playground and classroom renovations, security enhancements and fencing, sanctuary lighting, baptismal font, work study shuttle bus, plus kitchen, roof and window replacements.
The grants also go toward the Dallas Bishop’s Burse which can be used at the bishop’s discretion to assist local charitable organizations. In addition, today’s grants assist the Foundation’s President’s Discretionary Fund that serves local organizations and projects in need, the Work of Heart Awards that recognize full-time employees at Dallas-area Catholic schools and a designated high school tuition assistance program in which funds go to students whose parents work in some capacity for the Diocese of Dallas.
“The warm and tender hand of Catholic Foundation donors once again embrace the needs of North Texas,” said Matt Kramer, president and CEO of The Catholic Foundation. “With these grants, each of the churches, schools and nonprofits will be better positioned to offer a higher level of care to the individuals and families who rely upon them for support.”
Twice per year, The Catholic Foundation distributes community grants to local Catholic churches and schools and nonprofit organizations. Grant requests are reviewed by the Board of Trustees’ Distribution Committee, followed by documented site visits by Trustees through which the recipients and funding amounts are determined.
The Catholic Foundation has, over time, provided more than $287 million in grants to religious, charitable and educational organizations. In 2023, The Catholic Foundation awarded 2,700 grants totaling more than $20.9 million.
Catholic Charities Dallas – Brady Center: Senior services (Funding from the Louise Buhrer Endowment Fund)
Catholic Housing Initiative – St. Jude Center-Vantage Point: Pavilion
Catholic Pro-Life Community: A/V equipment
Church of the Incarnation: Sanctuary lighting
Cristo Rey Dallas College Prep: Work study shuttle bus (Partial funding from the Joe & Hazel Fechtel Fund)
Diocese of Dallas – Catholic Schools Office: Field trips for schools (Partial funding from the William & Mary Jane Jaspersen Fund)
Divine Mercy of Our Lord Catholic Church: Classroom furniture
Good Shepherd Catholic School: Window replacement (Partial funding from the Mary Anne Woods Fund)
The Highlands School: Window replacement
Holy Trinity Catholic Church: HVAC
Legionaries of Christ: Rectory repairs
Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic School: Roof replacement (Partial funding from the Thomas W. Weinzapfel Endowment)
Santa Clara of Assisi Catholic Academy: HVAC (Partial funding from the Bernard (Brian) Bradley Endowment Fund)
St. Ann Catholic Parish: Church sound system
St. Gabriel the Archangel Catholic Community: Playground and parking lot
St. Joseph Catholic Church: Parking lot repairs
St. Joseph Catholic School: Classroom renovation
St. Joseph’s Residence: Kitchen and laundry renovation (Partial funding from the Victoria & Leon Gulczynski Memorial Fund)
St. Michael the Archangel Catholic Parish: Baptismal font (Partial funding from the Osborne Family Endowment
St. Paul Catholic Classical School: Security enhancements (Partial funding from the Roper Fund)
St. Philip the Apostle Catholic Church: Security fencing (Partial funding from the Thomas John Uhl Fund)
St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic School: Lower school library renovations
The tuition assistance recipients received funding from either the Louise Buhrer Endowment Fund, Dorothy Irving Memorial Fund or Michele McCusker Memorial Fund and are as follows:
The Catholic Foundation Board of Trustees has elected three new trustees; Richard D. Kelly, Thomas Reidy and Jean M. White. Dan Odom will continue as board chair through the end of the year. The three new trustees will serve two, three-year terms ending in 2029.
“Rich, Tom and Jean personify the powerful impact lay leaders in the Catholic church have by encouraging philanthropically minded people to fulfill their charitable giving goals by giving through The Catholic Foundation,” said Matt Kramer, president and CEO of The Catholic Foundation. “We welcome our newest trustees at a time when Foundation donor contributions, donor assets under management and grant distributions are at record levels.”
Richard D. Kelly has been a principal in LumaCorp, Inc. and affiliates, a Dallas based apartment manager and syndicator, since 1989. He has been involved in the Texas multifamily industry since 1981, primarily in an acquisition and disposition role, including deal structure and debt/equity placement. He currently serves as a general partner and is primarily involved in providing asset management to the LumaCorp portfolio of some 4,000 units in 16 sponsored syndications in the DFW region. In 2016, he was awarded the Pope Leo XIII Gold Cross of Honor, and in 2020 the Guardian of the Holy Land Award, for his commitment and zeal for the Holy Land. He is a Knight of Malta, past president of the Dallas chapter of Legatus and a parishioner at Christ the King Catholic Church in Dallas.
Thomas Reidy has workedin the Technology and IT consulting industry for 35 years and is currently an executive at Inspired Intellect. He has served on The Catholic Foundation Advisory Council since 2016 and has provided expertise and business council to the Diocese of Dallas about the creation of a new regional Catholic high school in Frisco. He serves on the board of directors for John Paul II High School and serves in multiple parish board positions at his parish, St. Gabriel the Archangel Catholic Church in McKinney where he and his wife, Catherine, are founding parishioners.
Jean M. Whiteis a retired executive who previously served as a Principal at Deloitte where she led dozens of Fortune 500 and private companies through global transformations and strategic change. She specialized in deploying new operating models enabled by resource and technology optimization. Jean is currently serving as a trustee and former chair of the finance committee at the University of Dallas. She also has served as a member of the advisory committee for Mount St. Michael Catholic School and on the Community Advisory Board for the Junior League of Dallas. Jean and her husband of 34 years, Marty, are the proud parents of Marti (and Ben), David (and Katherine) and Jessi.
Dan Odom joined The Catholic Foundation board of trustees in 2018. He began his role as board chair in 2023 and has served as vice chair and chair of the Distribution plus Audit and Administration committees. Throughout his more than 35-year career at Deloitte where he serves as a partner, Dan has provided audit and related services to many of the largest global clients in various industries. He earned a bachelor’s degree from Texas A&M University and is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants. He and his wife, Maryanne, are parishioners at Holy Trinity Catholic Church.
Kramer applauded the work of the Foundation’s two outgoing trustees, Michael J. Marz and Wm. Kim Wade, congratulating both men for offering vision, compassion fiscal responsibility during their six years on the board. Their terms expired at the end of 2023.
Continuing members of The Catholic Foundation board of trustees include:
Fred Bangs, Managing Partner, Marsh Wortham
Fernando Blanco, Vice President, CHRISTUS Health
Matthew Bowen, Retired Banking Technology Executive
Most Reverend Edward J. Burns, Bishop of the Diocese of Dallas
Chartered in 1955, the Catholic Foundation was founded by a group of dedicated Catholic laymen with a vision that extended far beyond the charitable needs of the moment. Over time, the Foundation has provided more than $266 million in grants to religious, charitable and educational organizations. In 2022, The Catholic Foundation gave $19.4 million through more than 2,500 grants impacting more than 800 organizations. The Foundation houses more than 540 charitable funds and trusts.
For more than four decades, The Catholic Foundation Award has recognized an individual, couple or family for their distinguished service and support to further the religious, charitable and educational needs throughout the local Catholic community.
Georgia and Marc Lyons, South Louisiana natives, college sweethearts and long-time supporters of Catholic churches, schools and major philanthropic campaigns in Dallas, have been selected as the 41st annual recipients of The Catholic Foundation Award.
The Lyons, married 51 years, parents of two children and members of All Saints Catholic Church since 1985, are being recognized for their decades of leadership and engagement in numerous diocesan and parish-based initiatives that have enhanced the quality of life for many people.
On February 10, 2024, the Lyons will be honored during The Catholic Foundation Award Dinner at the Hilton Anatole Hotel. Jane and Dan Hanratty, recipients of the 2017 Catholic Foundation Award, will serve as the 2024 Award Dinner committee chairs.
“Georgia and Marc beautifully model how laity in the Catholic Church can make a significant impact in the way churches, diocesan schools and nonprofit organizations grow and place heightened attention in critical areas of need,” says Matt Kramer, president and CEO of The Catholic Foundation. “Raised with a strong moral compass, Georgia and Marc place their Catholic faith at the center of all they do as volunteers and leaders to promote Christian values and support Catholic education.”
The Catholic Foundation, a community foundation for the catholic community has provided more than $267 million in grants to religious, charitable and educational organizations since 1955. The Foundation houses more than 500 charitable funds and trusts.
During its 2023 spring grant ceremony In April, the Foundation awarded $1.4 million to 30 Dallas-area Catholic schools and churches as well as community organizations.
Funded by the Foundation’s unrestricted Philanthropy Fund as well as funds established by individuals and families to carry out their charitable goals, the grants will support various projects including HVAC repair, tuition assistance, liturgical music, facility renovations, a new school van and more.
The grants also go toward the Dallas Bishop’s Burse which can be used at the bishop’s discretion to assist local charitable organizations. In addition, these grants assist the Foundation’s President’s Discretionary Fund that serves local organizations and projects in need, the Work of Heart Awards that recognize full-time employees at Dallas-area Catholic schools and a designated high school tuition assistance program in which funds provide preference to students whose parents work in some capacity for the Diocese of Dallas.
“The Catholic Foundation takes great pride in the generous philanthropy displayed by our donors, both past and present, who invest in the future of local churches, schools and nonprofit organizations,” said Matt Kramer, president and CEO of The Catholic Foundation. “Each year, Foundation grants help to fund key projects that involve everything from facility repairs to other projects that help churches, schools and nonprofits prepare for growth and that’s what makes the grant distributions so impactful in the fast-growing North Texas region.”
Twice per year, The Catholic Foundation distributes community grants to local Catholic churches and schools and nonprofit organizations. Grant requests are reviewed by the Board of Trustees’ Distribution Committee, followed by documented site visits by Trustees through which the recipients and funding amounts are determined.
The 2023 spring grant recipients are as follows:
Bishop Lynch High School: Café & Library Renovations
Catholic Charities Dallas – Brady Center: Senior Services (Funding from the Louise Emma Buhrer Endowment Fund, the Harper Senior Citizen Fund and the Cardis & Grace DeLee Stubbs Fund)
Catholic Music Initiative: Liturgical Music (Partial funding from the Bernard Bradley Endowment Fund)
Catholic Schools Office – Diocese of Dallas: Educational Programs (Partial funding from the Joe & Hazel Fechtel Fund)
Holy Family of Nazareth Catholic Church: New Pews (Partial funding from the Osborne Family Endowment)
Holy Trinity Seminary: HVAC Repair (Partial funding from the Roper Fund)
Immaculate Conception Catholic Church: Security for Parish Campus
Notre Dame School of Dallas: School Van
Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Church: Church Renovations
Regina Caeli Academy: Mobile STEAM Program
Sacred Heart of Jesus Christ Catholic Parish: Church Expansion
St. Mark Catholic School: Gym Bleachers
St. Mary of Carmel Catholic School: School Furnishings (Partial funding from the William & Mary Jane Jaspersen Fund)
St. Monica Catholic School: Security for School
St. Patrick Catholic School: Auditorium Renovations
St. Paul the Apostle Catholic Church: Church Renovations
The Homiletics Institute at the University of Dallas: Support for Start Up
Ursuline Academy: Construction – West Campus
The tuition assistance recipients received funding from either the Louise Emma Buhrer Endowment Fund, Dorothy Irving Memorial Fund or Michele McCusker Memorial Fund and are as follows:
Jack E. Pratt, Sr., founder and retired chairman and CEO of Hollywood Casino Corporation, will be recognized during The Catholic Foundation Award Dinner on February 4, 2023.
A giving vehicle for the Catholic community, the Foundation has recognized an individual, couple or family for their distinguished service and support to further religious, charitable and educational needs for four decades.
Pratt is the developer of multiple hotels, casinos, commercial and residential buildings and restaurant chains in the U.S., Mexico, South America, Australia and the Caribbean. He is being honored for his Christian example and philanthropic impact throughout the Dallas area.
Professionally, Pratt achieved success in a wide variety of ventures including T.G.I. Fridays. He is also one of the nation’s largest developers and owners of the Holiday Inn franchises, with more than 40 hotel properties including Hiltons, Crowne Plaza and Sheraton Hotels in the U.S., Mexico and Caribbean.
“You don’t earn money to keep it for yourself,” said Pratt. “You can’t take it with you. It was not a desire that I needed the money. I lived decently, and it was always in my thought that there were many other people that needed support and so I helped.”
A native of Joplin, Mo., Pratt has served as a member of the Leadership Council “Innovation in Medicine” campaign for Southwestern Medical University, the committee for Advanced Gifts – capital campaign fund for Ursuline Academy, the founding committee of John Paul II High School in Plano and the Leadership Committee for the “ Our Faith Our Future”capital campaign for the Diocese of Dallas.
Pratt was the initial investor for the now nationwide Young Catholic Professionals, a nonprofit that brings together young business professionals to foster Catholic identity.
He also founded and was an advisor to the San Juan Diego Catholic Church in northwest Dallas. After witnessing a Mass celebrated in the rain with people kneeling on soggy ground and a priest holding an umbrella above his head, Pratt spent several years identifying real estate, negotiating deals with building owners, renovating facilities to meet the needs of a growing Hispanic Catholic community, financially contributing to and establishing the church in northwest Dallas.
In his early life, Pratt sold daily newspapers, flowers and puppies at the age of seven to support his family through the Great Depression.
“There were no safety nets in the Great Depression so if you needed help, the place you turned was the church,” said Pratt. “I told myself as a six-year-old that I would do everything possible to work hard, help my family out of poverty, be a good Christian and give back to the community. It never left my mind.”
Later, Pratt served as a master sergeant in the U.S. Army’s Inspector General’s office during the Korean War and handled parts logistics that aided helicopter pilots in Korea while based at Fort Wolters in Mineral Wells. As his business grew during his career that followed, Pratt subscribed to the notion, “To whom much is given, much will be required” that stems from the Gospel of Luke.
“I always believed the good Lord was number one in my life,” Pratt said. “I always asked God for advice going into a new business.”
The Catholic Foundation was chartered in 1955 by a group of Catholic laymen. It helps donors fulfill their charitable goals and has provided more than $247 million in grants. The Foundation manages approximately $300 million in assets, and houses more than 500 charitable funds and trusts.
“Like many who personally endured the challenges of the Great Depression, Jack humbly minimizes the later success he experienced in the business world,” said Matt Kramer, president and CEO of The Catholic Foundation. “Jack has devoted considerable time to philanthropic pursuits as founder and director of the Aileen and Jack Pratt Foundation, serving eight years on the St. Monica Catholic Church finance council, 12 years on the Investment Committee of the Diocese of Dallas and on the Bishop’s Finance Council of the Diocese of Dallas. He’s a legendary leader and his generosity toward the community runs deep.”
Pratt and his wife, Aileen, currently serving as chair of The Catholic Foundation board of trustees, are parishioners at Christ the King Catholic Church and have four children, nine grandchildren and 11 great grandchildren.
