Why they give

Mike and Denise Mangeot and their children Adam, Ava and Anna have been faithful donors to the Sisters of Charity of Nazareth for 20 years. Denise is an active member of the Development Advisory Committee, the Join the Journey Committee, and has served as a table host for the annual fundraising luncheon. Here, she shares her reflections on why she and her family choose to support the Sisters of Charity of Nazareth.

“When I was young, people would always ask if I was going to be a Sister of Charity like my aunt, Susan Gatz, SCN. I adored my aunt, but take a vow of poverty, never marry or have children — are you kidding? No way!

“But one day, I realized that my aunt’s life is rich in ways I could never imagine.

“Through her faith, community and a desire to serve God, she doesn’t miss material possessions and is always provided for spiritually, emotionally, and economically within this wonderful organization of women religious.

“While I am blessed to have a great husband of 20 years and hope to raise our three children to be contributing members of society, my aunt and the SCNs are making the WORLD a better place … I am inspired and humbled by what they do.

“I’ve been around the SCNs all my life and their desire to help those less fortunate comes from their devotion to serving God. These wonderful women pull together for the greater good and manage their resources so 100 percent of all donations go directly toward their global missions.

“They get real results with every dollar contributed through education, health care, and social work. They minister to those in desperate conditions and try to somehow make a difference in the face of poverty we can’t imagine, and social injustice we can’t believe exists.

“One story that resonated with me was how the daughters of prostitutes would be forced into service when their mothers were unavailable. My heart broke. No mother would ever want that for her daughter. The SCNs saw this injustice, opened a boarding school, and removed these young girls from a horrific situation. These mothers trusted the Sisters to nurture and educate their daughters, breaking the cycle of abuse and giving them a better life.

“While I can’t go on mission trips (yet) or volunteer as often as I’d like, that doesn’t change my desire to serve others. I can still make a big impact by giving my financial support to the Sisters of Charity of Nazareth. Donations allow them to operate their missions to fight poverty, end oppression, educate, and empower women and girls the world over.

“I’ve chosen to donate to the SCNs for two decades and know that my contributions are being used to truly make a difference to help care for, educate, and empower less fortunate people all over the world.”