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SOAR! Awards Nearly $1.2 Million in Grants to Elderly Religious

Washington, DC
– June 11, 2014  –

At the May 12, 2014 meeting of the SOAR! board of directors, members approved grants for a total of $1,157,028 to 65 religious congregations of women and men in 20 states. These grants will benefit more than 3,019 women and men religious at a median age of 81. The SOAR! board of directors and the grant recipients are deeply grateful to all SOAR! contributors for making the grants possible. Members of the organization’s board of directors hand delivered grant checks to many congregations around the country.

The SOAR! grants will assist congregations of Catholic religious women and men in the care of their aging Sisters, Brothers and Priests. The grants will help to fulfill very basic help–the purchase of therapeutic equipment, the renovation of space for handicapped accessibility and structural safety, and the installation of fire alarms and wander guard systems. As a result of this assistance many more religious will be able to continue to live their aging years at home with their religious communities.

“We are each called ‘to give back’ to benefit our communities. Religious men and women have selflessly given their lives to give peace, comfort, and hope to a lost and hurting world. Now, in their time of need,” stated Michael Rodgers, chairperson of the SOAR! board, “We cannot help but commit ourselves to come to their aid, and to bring them peace and comfort in knowing that they are safe and loved.”

SOAR! was formed in 1986 by a group of concerned lay people to help ensure financial stability of Catholic religious congregations in the care of their elderly and infirm members. Since its beginnings over 25 years ago, SOAR! has awarded over 1000 grants, totaling more than $14 million, to congregations throughout the United States, Guam and Puerto Rico.

The organization is separate from the annual retirement collection coordinated by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.

For more information, please contact Sister Kathleen Lunsmann at 202.529.7627 or klunsmann@soar-usa.org. SOAR!’s website is www.soar-usa.org.

SOAR! is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization committed to assuring the safety, security, and well-being of elderly and frail members of Catholic religious congregations in the United States, augmenting the efforts of the institutional Church.

Download a printable copy of this press release.

View the 2014 Grant Awards.

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