Mrs. Bannon's Gift of Help and Hope

Joan Bannon loved helping others. She was a wonderful mother to her seven children and always participated in the Mother's Club at her children's school. She valued human life, was active in the pro-life movement and was focused on donating and supporting organizations that help people.

Mrs. Bannon passed away just shy of her 90th birthday after a life rich with love and faith. Her oldest son and executor of her estate, Jim, began researching charities to make a gift from her estate. Jim knew that helping the poor and hungry were causes close to his mother's heart. His mother spent most of her life living in Joliet and he also wanted to keep the donation local. Jim decided that Catholic Charities would be a good recipient of his late mother's gift and reached out to Tony Brandolino, director of planned giving.

Tony accompanied Jim on a tour of Daybreak Center and a Mobile Food Pantry event. Witnessing the work of Catholic Charities firsthand was impactful. "You never really have a perception of others in the world who aren't as fortunate as you are," Jim says of the visits.

Jim chose to split the gift from his mother's estate between the two programs he visited knowing that his mother would be pleased with his decisions. "We were very blessed to have her in our lives," he says. Today, Mrs. Bannon's legacy continues as her gift houses the homeless and feeds the hungry.

To learn more about making a gift that continues supporting a cause of the Catholic Church close to your or a loved one's heart, please contact Jane Lagger at (815) 221-6190 or Jlagger@dioceseofjoliet.org.