MADISON — A familiar figure in the important work of helping others in the Diocese of Madison is moving on to the next part of his life journey.
“I think it goes by fast because you’re not really tracking it, you’re having the time of your life, you feel like you’re making a difference, and you’re working around really smart people,” said Jackson Fonder, whose time as president and CEO of Catholic Charities of Madison is coming to an end on October 1.Tag: fonder
Jack and Jill went up the hill . . .
Later this fall, Catholic Charities will open the new Homeless Day Resource Center in Madison.
We have a lot of plans for the center, but right now I’m asking for your help because we are missing something . . . the center needs a name! I’m asking all of you to help by participating in our naming campaign!
Please give it some real thought. We need a good, strong, meaningful name that will stand the test of time.
Understanding the homeless
I bundled up on a very cold and windy evening last Tuesday night and met some new friends in the parking lot of First Methodist Church in downtown Madison.
Dennis, Daniel, and Sam were kind enough to invite me to help in their efforts to serve the homeless. This is what they do every Tuesday night as part of “Friends of the State St. Family.”
One at a time
Sometimes I feel like I am too small and the problems around the world are so big. I watch the news or read an article and get exhausted from the onslaught of depressing, discouraging, and sometimes crazy news stories. The presidential election. Immigration. Police issues. Racial disparity. The list goes on.
It’s overwhelming. And then I remember how Mother Teresa focused on helping just one person at a time. What a great lesson.
I’ve asked Jerilyn Robinson, our director of family programs, to give an example of how Catholic Charities is doing this with our Behavioral Health in Schools (BHS) program.
An attitude of gratitude
It’s February, and you know what that means. The Super Bowl has been played, the Lenten Season has arrived, and many of us have forsaken our New Year’s resolutions. So called experts say that one third of us will have abandoned our 2016 goals by this point.
I’m a planner, so I usually have a few goals and resolutions for the year. There is one resolution that I will try to keep — to be more grateful. It’s a fairly simple idea, but one that is easy to put aside.
100,000 steps (Part II)
(Part II of a two-part series.)
Thank you for your prayers last week during my Grand Canyon run.
My journey started with a group of four men and two women ages 25 to 58. At 3:10 a.m. on October 26, we knew we had a long trail ahead of us. While it was daunting and emotions were mixed with fear and anticipation, we all commented about the beauty and light of the moon.
100,000 steps
As an avid long-distance runner, this is by far my favorite time of the year to run.
On most early mornings, I can be found on the trails of the many parks around south central Wisconsin.
Through the years, I have had many opportunities to run in some unique and stunning landscapes around the world. For me, running is not just physical, but helps keep me grounded mentally and spiritually.
Take me out to the ball game
I love attending ball games. A beautiful summer day at the park; the smell of freshly cut grass and grilled hot dogs; and the competition playing to a cheering crowd.
But, this was no ordinary ball game that I was going to. I had looked forward to this afternoon for some time and couldn’t wait to see “North Rock” take on their arch rivals from “South Rock” in the eighth year of their annual kickball showdown.
How will you answer the call?
About five years ago, I left a wonderful job in corporate America to join the nonprofit sector and have not looked back.
I can’t tell you exactly what it was that compelled me to make such a drastic move. Over the years I had worked with many nonprofits, mostly as a volunteer, and loved the work and people involved. It just felt like it was the right thing to do. Almost like it was a calling.
Catholic lawyers invited to ‘Client Care — a Step Above’
MADISON — The St. Thomas More Society is hosting a lunch meeting featuring Jackson Fonder, president and CEO of Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Madison.
Fonder will discuss how attorneys can recognize when clients need more than a legal solution to their problems. Catholic Charities has many programs that can assist people of all faiths or no faith and attorneys can benefit from knowing how to get additional help for their clients.