Buffalo, N.Y. (WBEN) - While the team at Catholic Charities knows they're a bit behind and working to close the gap to meet their $11 million appeal goal, they were all smiles Thursday as a Wellsville businessman stepped forward with the largest-ever single donation to the campaign.
Charlie Joyce of Otis Eastern Service made a personal gift of $250,000 and added an additional $100,000 corporate gift. And as Joyce heard the campaign was falling short at $8.9 million to date, Joyce told the campaign he would throw in an additional $100,000 personal dift to help spur matching donations. In all, the Joyce impact is at $450,000.
"We're a better place to do it", says Joyce. Joyce tells WBEN his faith has been shaken but he defines the clear difference between the challenges the diocese is facing with regard to the priest abuse scandal and the incredible need that Catholic Charities addresses independent of that.
"Don't lose hope", says Joyce as he pleads with Catholics and others to donate what they can to help the campaign meet its goal.
The Catholic Charities appeal runs through June 30 and stands at 81% as of Thursday.
