Chicago-based Fraternal Awards Communication Grants to Seven Dioceses
November 8, 2017
National Catholic Society of Foresters (NCSF), a nationwide fraternal life insurance company in Mount Prospect, Illinois, has selected seven dioceses to receive a communication grant - each worth $1,500.
The seven awardees were chosen for their innovative and engaging communication plans to connect and resonate with Catholics in today’s modern world.
The awardees, and their communication efforts, in no specific order are:
Archdiocese of Denver, Colorado: The NCSF Diocesan Communication Grant will help produce and distribute five video memes to motivate and inspire the Catholic faith among young adults and families. The videos will be distributed via social media, primarily Facebook and Twitter.
Archdiocese of Kansas City, Kansas: In 2016, the Archdiocesan Office of Marriage and Family Life developed a program called the Joyful Marriage Project. The program offers couples tangible ways to amplify the joy in their relationships through the use of online resources and videos, as well as in-person retreats. The NCSF Diocesan Communication Grant will be used to customize the materials of the Joyful Marriage Project for Spanish-speaking couples.
Archdiocese of Seattle, Washington: Currently, the Archdiocese of Seattle’s website is outdated and unresponsive to mobile devices. As a result, Catholics in western Washington have difficulty using the information collected in their web database to find parishes, Mass times, schools, and other important information that connects them to the life of the church. As a result the Archdiocese of Seattle is creating a new website that will be mobile friendly. The NCSF Diocesan Communication Grant will help fund a web consultant who will work with the Archdiocese of Seattle to update its website – it will be more mobile friendly with designs and architecture that prioritize Search Engine Optimization (SEO).
Diocese of Gary, Indiana: The Gary Diocese utilizes their website (garyoyya.org) almost daily for ministry purposes, however it has become increasingly outdated as technology has advanced. Statistically, youth and young adult ministry web pages rank among the most-accessed of all ministry pages in the Gary Diocese. As a tool of New Evangelization, a modern website will energize and inspire young Catholics who would normally become frustrated by such an outdated web presentation. The NCSF Diocesan Communication Grant will help pay for the design and hosting of an updated, mobile-friendly website for youth and young adults, as well as to receive the necessary training to maintain it.
Diocese of Joliet, Illinois: The Diocese of Joliet is creating a podcast network so that diocesan-level agencies can broadcast audio shows to the public, sharing interviews and stories of interest as part of the New Evangelization, which can not only be heard by people in the diocese, but by anyone in the world. The NCSF Diocesan Communication Grant will help buy audio equipment to set up a broadcast studio at the Blanchette Catholic Center. Podcasts are digital audio programs that people can download on their computers or mobile devices to listen to at their leisure.
Diocese of Rapid City, South Dakota: The NCSF Diocesan Communication Grant will help increase the number of podcasts and live-streamed events it can produce for online and social media platforms utilizing various diocesan programs and ministries. This will help improve access to distance learning opportunities for approximately 26,000 Catholics registered in their diocese, especially the 9,000-plus Catholics who live and worship in parishes far from the diocesan headquarters in Rapid City.
Diocese of Toledo, Ohio: Approximately 62% of Toledo Diocese parishioners are aged 55 years or more, which means they use or seek services and amenities targeted to older individuals and families. Publishing an annual Senior Life and Resource Guide would allow the diocese to connect with their senior parishioners in a very meaningful way. The guide will contain detailed listings on where to find services for seniors. The publication would reach 100,000 parishioners while helping to reestablish a strong connection with a key demographic that still wants to be a part of their faith community.
The NCSF Diocesan Communication Grant will help defray the costs associated with the writing, design, production, and distribution of the Senior Life and Resource Guide. The grant would also give them the ability to raise additional funds through receipt of matching contributions from local businesses.
ABOUT NATIONAL CATHOLIC SOCIETY OF FORESTERS: National Catholic Society of Foresters (NCSF), a member-based fraternal organization, was established in 1891 to reach out and help Catholics in communities throughout the United States. We do this by offering life insurance and retirement products along with valuable member benefits that support the growth of strong communities. Headquartered in Mount Prospect-IL, NCSF is licensed to do business in 17 states.
As a member of our not-for-profit Society, the money that would normally be paid to shareholders in a for-profit company is instead given back to NCSF member parishes and communities in the form of programs and benefits made possible by insurance sales.
For more information about NCSF, please visit www.ncsf.com or call 1-800-344-6273.
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Jennifer Bernau
Creative Director
National Catholic Society of Foresters
320 S. School St., Mount Prospect, IL 60056
PHONE: 847-342-4500 x237 FAX: 847-342-4556
OFFICE HOURS, MONDAY - FRIDAY: 8 a.m. – 4 p.m.
www.ncsf.com