US / Canada Programs
General Donations
Focolare Media
International
Members
Communion of Goods
US / Canada Programs
Racial Equity (Courageous Conversations)
We are committed to addressing and confronting racial injustices through facilitated dialogue, education, and self-reflection through Courageous Conversations, one of our initiatives, working together towards an anti-racist society. We want to turn dialogue and discussion into initiative and action.
GIVE
Economy of Communion (North America)
If you are looking for a business model that combines social impact and profit, you might want to check out the economy of communion (EOC). The EOC is a network of companies that share their earnings with the poor and invest in their communities. The EOC is inspired by the values of communion, generosity and mutual support, and aims to create a culture of giving and solidarity. The EOC was launched by Chiara Lubich in 1991 in Brazil and now has more than 750 businesses around the world.
GIVE
Mariapolis Luminosa
Mariapolis Luminosa, one of 25 little cities of the Focolare Movement around the world, is the Focolare little city for North America, in Hyde Park, New York. It hosts programs for children, families, young adults, priests and religious. It has shown to be an ideal place for spiritual retreats, conferences and special events.
Give
Youth Center for North America (YCNA)
The Youth Center for North America (YCNA) inspires and mobilizes young people from all backgrounds to live for a more united world. It offers ongoing opportunities for young adults to come together and build community through hands-on projects, local and international activities and training programs.
Give
PACNE (Haiti)
Established in 2008, PACNE (Action contre la pauvreté du nord-est – Association against poverty in the North-East) is an official non-profit organization in Haiti directed by the members of the Focolare from different branches. The work of PACNE in the Mont-Organisé region includes schools, housing for the poor, and projects to sponsor children in need.
Read an update on the current projects here.
Read also a very recent article about ‘Hope in Haiti’ – How the Focolare community lives solidarity in a tortured land
GIVEGeneral Donations
General Donations are given without restriction and are allocated at the discretion of the Focolare Movement. General Donations made to the Zone of the US and Canada are shared with the rest of the world according to a protocol established by the International Focolare Center in Rome. Approximately half of the funds you give to General Donations will be used in the US and Canada, while the other half will be used for the needs of the Focolare Movement throughout the rest of the world.
We appreciate your generosity in making a General Donation, which enables the Focolare Movement to allocate funds to the most pressing needs both at home and abroad at any given time.
Focolare Media
Focolare Media
Focolare Media is a ministry of the Focolare Movement in North America and includes New City Press and Living City Magazine. Focolare Media envisions the renewal of the world by enkindling the spirit of unity. We are committed to providing content that empowers people to grow spiritually, improve relationships, engage in dialogue, and foster collaboration within the Church and throughout society. Your support will help Focolare Media to fulfill the transformation envisioned by Chiara Lubich to bring unity and hope to our fractured world.
International
Earthquake Emergency in Turkey and Syria
This donation campaign is closed, as of July 31, 2023. We are happy to report that the amount raised was $45,898.51, in addition to the over 580,000 euros raised by the Emergency Coordination of the Focolare Movement, in collaboration with AMU (Action for a United World) and AFN (Action for New Families). After an initial amount of 100,000 euros was sent to some areas affected by the earthquake in Syria, the support action continued both in Turkey and Syria and is still active. Read more on the support offered here.
Our deep gratitude to all our donors for their generosity!
Ukraine Emergency
The Focolare Movement’s Emergency Coordination Committee is directing our support to the people of Ukraine through Caritas-Spes, a charitable mission of the Roman Catholic Church in Ukraine. Through their operation centers and some diocesan centers, they coordinate and continuously revise the logistics for the delivery of aid.
So far, the funds raised throughout the world have been used to support the internally displaced people with housing and basic needs. See an update with a thank you message from the executive director of Caritas-Spes Ukraine here. Read a full update here.
Give
Lebanon Emergency
The huge explosion in Beirut of August 2020 killed 100, injured 4,000 and left 300,000 without safe shelter. Lebanon was already a serious economic crisis: more than 45% of the population lives in poverty and unemployment has risen to 35%. The Focolare Movement provides humanitarian relief to victims of the blast, providing shelter, helping people find places to live, assisting with reconstruction, providing food and helping with cleanup.
Read more on the project here.
Read the heartfelt Thank You Note from our donation recipients in Lebanon here.
Give
Supporting Children at a Distance
A project of the New Families section of the Focolare Movement, Supporting Children at a Distance is a way for a donor to support a specific needy child while the child remains in the child’s own country, usually among extended family. With more than 100 active projects in 50 countries, Supporting Children at a Distance provides food programs, medical care, child care centers, after school care and other opportunities for growth and development of these children ‘supported at a distance.’
Read more on how the remote support changes the lives of children and that of their families and communities here.
Give
Café con Leche
Café con Leche (coffee with milk) is a school founded in 1990 by Focolare member Marisol Jimenez to serve the children of the poverty-stricken neighborhood of Herrera in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. The school serves more than 500 students, teaching everything from basic literacy to workplace skills. The students themselves work to support their school, with the boys producing woodcrafts and the girls making clothing, which are sold locally and in the United States. The Dominican government and the President of the Republic himself have contributed to the project.
GiveMembers
Communion of Goods
Internal members of the Focolare Movement practice a voluntary ‘communion of goods,’ an effort to live the Gospel by sharing both goods and needs in a spirit of reciprocity. Members of each branch of the Focolare Movement share with those of that branch on a local, regional and international level as well as within their local communities.
Donate to your branch or to your local community by using the links below.
Donation FAQs
How do I make a donation?
To make a donation, click on one of the tabs above to be taken to a list of projects and funds sponsored by the Focolare Movement. There you can make a selection and donate by credit card or from a bank account (ACH).
What is ACH?
ACH stands for “automated clearing house.” ACH is the way that banks send money between bank accounts. The fees associated with ACH are lower than for credit cards, so we encourage the use of ACH for donations.
Can I mail you a check?
Yes.
Please make out your check to ‘Focolare Movement’ and mail it to the following address. Please indicate the specific project on the memo line of your check.
FOCOLARE MOVEMENT
PO BOX 15128
CHEVY CHASE, MD 20825-5128Note: this address should be used also by Focolare members giving to their own membership category under “communion of goods” .
Is my donation tax deductible? Will I receive a tax receipt?
The Focolare Movement is an IRS 501(c)(3) organization in the United States and a Registered Charity in Canada. Donations are deductible to the full extent allowed by law.
When you make your donation, the system will automatically generate a tax receipt.
How do I make a memorial donation (a donation ‘in memory of’ someone)?
To make a memorial donation, please select the campaign “General Donations”. On the Payment Summary window, specify your intention in the field “Add a note (optional)”. Your intention will be honored.
Can I create an online donor account?
Yes. When you make your first donation, you will be given the option of opening a donor account. Through your donor account you have access to a record of all of your donations.
Log on anytime at https://focolaremovementuscanada-bloom.kindful.com/users/sign_in or use the link to resend the instructions for creating an account.
I accidentally donated to the wrong fund. How do I fix it?
Please follow the instructions by clicking on the ‘Refund’ link at the bottom of the donation page.
Can I donate other things to the Focolare, such as property or stock? Can I l leave something to the Focolare in my will?
Please contact us at the following email address to find out how to make non-cash donations or to make a bequest in your will: donations@focolare.us.
Where does my donation go?
Each project has a brief description of the activities toward which your donation will be directed.
Those in charge of each project will produce periodic reports for donors.
In addition, every year the Focolare Movement will produce a report describing the uses to which donations have been put during that year.
Is my donation secure?
Yes. The Focolare donation system is provided by our vendor Kindful, which uses the same payment technology company (Stripe) used by many large online organizations for their transactions.
You can read more about them at kindful.com and stripe.com.
How do I donate if I live in Canada?
You may donate by check or by e-transfer. Please mail checks directly to the Vancouver Focolare for western Canada or to the Montreal Focolare for eastern Canada.
For e-transfer, please find the link for step-by-step instructions https://www.interac.ca/en/consumers/products/interac-e-transfer/.
For e-transfer to Vancouver, the email address is: ffvancouver@shaw.ca
For e-transfer to Montreal, the email address is rgffmtl@gmail.com
Need help?
If you have problems or questions not answered in the FAQ, please email us at donations@focolare.us or use the contact form below.