Catholic Charities of Louisville’s second annual Mardi Gras-themed fundraiser netted close to $110,000 to support the agency’s programs, exceeding Catholic Charities’ fundraising goal.
Rouler 2021 — pronounced “roo-lay” — was held totally online this year, but it drew support from at least 700 people who registered to attend the event virtually and learn more about the agency’s mission.
Virtual attendance was just as important as the monetary support, said Ellen Hauber, director of development.
“We believe that when people become aware of what we do they will become involved in what we do — whether as a volunteer, a soup subscriber, a donor — and that they will become more engaged with their faith and with the archdiocese in a more tangible way,” she said.
“There is so much great work being done that the Catholic community and the broader community don’t know about at Catholic Charities,” she noted. “This was an innovative way to showcase the variety of work that we do.”
Catholic Charities’ breadth of work is remarkably wide-ranging. It ranges from supporting mothers and fathers struggling with unplanned pregnancies to ensuring the wellbeing of elderly residents of long-term care facilities. Another branch assists people who have been trafficked for sex or labor while still others provide social services to families in poverty.
Rouler’s fundraising will help support this work, Hauber said, noting that parishes and the business community contributed substantially to its success.
“We are thrilled to be able to meet our goal and exceed it,” she said. “We’re able to add support to programs that have increased need this year due to the pandemic and in turn support some of our enterprises that have lost revenue” because of the pandemic.
Hauber explained that a handful of the agency’s programs normally earn some revenue. Among them is Common Table, a program that provides culinary job training. This program typically provides catering services for luncheons and corporate meetings to help generate revenue. Such meetings are not recommended in the pandemic.
