July 2025 Newsletter
August is National Make a Will Month. Now is a great time to review or begin your will to honor God with the many blessings He’s given us. Visit our Wills Planner if you would like to create a plan for your future, or need to make updates to an existing plan.
We extend a warm welcome to Derek Lyssy, our new Executive Director at the Catholic Foundation of Northeast Kansas! Derek is a fundraising leader with over a decade of experience in nonprofit management and strategic development within Catholic organizations. He served as the Chief Development and Communications Officer for the Diocese of Tulsa, where he led advancement efforts, oversaw communications, and hosted the Bishop’s podcast, “Tulsa Time.” Derek has previously served as Chief Development Officer for Seton Education Partners and was part of the team that led a $400 million capital campaign for the Archdiocese of Chicago. Motivated by the New Evangelization, his career began with four years as a missionary with FOCUS, serving college students at Northwestern University and the University of Kansas. Derek holds a business degree from Benedictine College and a master’s in Philanthropy and Development from St. Mary’s University of Minnesota. He also is a CFRE (Certified Fund Raising Executive). Derek and his wife Whitney grew up in the Kansas City area and are expecting their sixth child this August. Outside of work, he enjoys coaching, volunteering in parish and diocesan ministries, and spending time with his family. He looks forward to contributing his expertise to support our archdiocese and the Catholic Foundation of Northeast Kansas. Welcome, Derek!
2025 Grant Program
This year’s grant program application IS OPEN! We will accept applications through August 29, 2025. If you missed our Grant Program Kick-Off Webinar on June 25, please watch the Zoom recording to learn about this year’s application process, qualification requirements, grant guidelines, and more! Contact mwade@archkck.org with questions.
Joyce K. Miller Scholarship Fund
This year's scholarship recipient of the Joyce K. Miller Scholarship Fund is Grace Benitez, a senior nursing student at Benedictine College. The Joyce K. Miller Scholarship has taken some of the financial stress off of Grace going into her senior year at Benedictine College. This scholarship will allow Grace to focus on her education and training. Grace's passion for nursing stems from personal experiences with her siblings and their health challenges. This summer, Grace was accepted into The University of Kansas Health System's prestigious Summer 2025 Nursing Extern Program, which provided her valuable hands-on experience. Grace says that nursing is not just a profession for her - it is a calling to serve, advocate, and make a difference in the lives of those who need it most. Congratulations, Grace!
Join us for an informative webinar about this year’s Giving Tuesday initiative! Our partnership with #iGiveCatholic offers a variety of resources to help you raise funds for your parish, school, or ministry’s mission! If you haven't already, register now and come be part of something impactful. We can't wait to kick things off with you! Contact mwade@archkck.org with questions regarding Giving Tuesday 2025.
ICSC Region IX Meeting
In July, the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas hosted the annual ICSC Region IX Summer Gathering, a truly amazing two-day event filled with faith, fellowship, and fun. Highlights included Mass, knowledgeable speakers and presentations, meaningful collaboration with individuals from other archdioceses, and some lighthearted moments over bowling and delicious Kansas City barbecue. A heartfelt thank you to our speakers and to everyone who was able to attend and make the gathering so special!
Please join us on Thursday, August 7 at 12:00 PM for our Quarterly Investment Update Webinar! During this 30-minute webinar, we’ll review our investment portfolio performance, share insights on the economic outlook, and provide updates on exciting initiatives at the Foundation. This is also a great opportunity to meet our new Executive Director, Derek Lyssy, as he joins the conversation. Register now for this informative and engaging session!
Who: Individuals, Parish Finance Councils, School Finance Committees, Fund Trustees, Board Finance Committees, Current or Future Fundholders
What will be reviewed: CFNEK Investment Returns, Broad Market Update, Investment Allocation, CFNEK News
Why: Good stewardship of the funds entrusted to you
Event: #iGiveCatholic 2025 Kick-Off Webinar
Date: August 6th, 2025 | 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM
Location: Zoom
Registration: Click Here, Free
Event: Quarterly Investment Webinar
Date: August 7th, 2025 | 12:00 PM - 12:30 PM
Location: Zoom
Speaker: Chuck Maggiorotto & Derek Lyssy
Registration: Click Here, Free
Event: Wills and Estates Workshop
Date: August 14th, 2025 | 11:30 AM - 1:00 PM
Location: Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Emporia, KS
Speaker: Stuart N. Symmonds, Attorney at Law
Registration: Click Here, Free
Event: Wills and Trusts Workshop
Date: September 3rd, 2025 | 6:30 PM - 7:30 PM
Location: St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church, Lawrence, KS
Speaker: Casey Connealy, Estate Planning Attorney
Registration: Click Here, Free
Event: Estate Planning 101
Date: September 24th, 2025 | 6:00 PM - 7:00 PM
Location: Mother Teresa of Calcutta Parish, Topeka, KS
Speaker: Vince Cox, Attorney at Law
Registration: Click Here, Free
Event: Catholic Advisors Network
Date: October 15th, 2025 | 11:30 AM - 1:00 PM
Location: Church of the Nativity, Leawood, KS
Speaker: Chris Malmgren, Financial Advisor
Registration: Click Here, Free
Event: Wills and Trusts Workshop
Date: October 15th, 2025 | 5:30 PM - 7:00 PM
Location: Sacred Heart of Jesus Catholic Church, Shawnee, KS
Speaker: Casey Connealy, Estate Planning Attorney
Registration: Click Here, Free