I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving, full of good company and good food! After a weekend of shopping the Black Friday sales in order to score the best deals on Christmas presents, today is a welcome respite. In recent years the Tuesday after Thanksgiving has come to be known as Giving Tuesday – a way to give something back after a weekend of buying things, whatever those things might be! Spending your money (whatever the amount) on a worthy cause instead of just on material things is something that should be acknowledged and appreciated. The idea of Giving Tuesday made me think about the many ways Maryknoll has raised funds in the past. The most common way is through appeal letters sent out to donors usually with some kind of theme to tie the appeal to the season. Below are two examples, one from the Maryknoll Fathers and Brothers and the other from the Maryknoll Sisters, of Thanksgiving appeal letters.
Here is an appeal letter from 1965 that the Society mailed to its donors, highlighting how a gift in any amount can help with education, health, and nutrition:
Society Thanksgiving Appeal [front], 1965
Society Thanksgiving Appeal [back], 1965
In 1998, the Maryknoll Sisters sent out a Thanksgiving Appeal that had multiple pieces to it to further connect with their donors. The first is a letter which is written by Sister Jeanne Houlihan, who was Director of the Sisters’ Development Department. The letter focuses on two Sisters, Rita Marie Regan and Paulita Hoffman, and how a monetary gift will help with the cost of caring for these older Sisters.
Other pieces from the 1998 appeal further capture the character of the Maryknoll Sisters and invite their donors to feel the spirit of the Thanksgiving season:
