The Warner Family: On Charity at Christmas

 

Robert and Colette Warner exude serenity, which is impressive given that they are anticipating the birth of their sixth child. Robert, 42, is vice president of Warners’ Stellian, Colette, 41, stays at home. They sat down to discuss faith, family and finances, and how their CCF donor advised fund helps them keeps the spirit of Christmas year-round.

 

What prompted you to create a donor advised fund with the Catholic Community Foundation?

 

Colette: We’d been discussing for some time long-range planned giving and implemented some things in our will and so on. We’ve had good examples during our upbringing – grandparents and parents who have always been very generous.

 

Robert: And we’ve been richly blessed. For us not to turn around and have a definitive charitable component to our whole financial planning, it just wasn’t right. We felt the void there.

For us to be able to maintain the giving we’ve traditionally done, have the CCF banner and kind of hang our hat on that and say, ‘This is our main way of giving’ has been a relief. It gives Colette and me a total sense of peace in terms of giving. Before, our giving just seemed a little too random. It seemed like it was happenstance.

 

Colette: This allowed us to consolidate everything – that was a real draw for us, rather than writing 50 different checks.

 

Robert: CCF takes the administrative work out of our charitable giving. They make it convenient. So instead of adding to our to-do list, the fund gives us a plan. And as we know, the Lord won’t be outdone in charity. Things work out. We’re good at reminding each other [to trust in God’s providence].

 

I think of my dad, who’s extremely generous to the church and the community and his family. If the convent needed a new air conditioner, he did it. If the church cafeteria needed new tables and chairs, he did it. He’s not a man of extraordinary means, but he likes to fill a need.
 

Throughout Scripture there are so many examples of stewardship. Everything we’ve been given belongs to God, and we’ve been able to share that principle with the kids very directly: this is not ours to begin with.

 

How do you instill a spirit of giving in your children?

 

Colette: That’s something we’ve addressed since the children were very young. It’s really second nature to them now. We use commercial advertisements as an example. There’s a lot of open discussion of how media affects everyone. We don’t go overboard. Our kids know there isn’t a lot they need. And again, I think of an example that, through the Warner family, some of our nieces established a few years ago, World Vision. Rather than purchasing gifts for Grandma and Grandpa, the 37 grandchildren – 38 coming – make a contribution and Grandpa and Grandpa probably match that. So that’s exciting.

 

Robert: For us, the holidays are an excellent opportunity to share that lesson with your children. I see something involving CCF this Christmas– it’s time to start to decide where that money will go.

 

Colette: And there are small ways as well – through the school and parish, helping a family, serving a meal. Our children have seen that with a large family both time and finances are great resources. And they’ve seen over the years that we’re active volunteers, so often it’s our time – whether it’s moderating a group or just showing up at an event to serve, they know it’s important to be involved.

 

Robert: The whole goal, of course, is at the end of the day to try to live life with a charitable heart and to want to give. You don’t want to encourage them to be selfish – directly or indirectly.

 

One of the things that might be a challenge for other families like us – and I think you have to overcome it – is you feel a little out of your element when you compare yourself to a major-league philanthropist. But it’s OK. I think our generation needs to say, “You know what? We can give too. We have a role to play. The size of the check isn’t as important as the decision to be charitable.”

 

Colette: I think a lot of families our age do feel overwhelmed.

 

Robert: But if we had said, “We’re just going to wait until we have don’t have substantial needs?” When would we have started? It was more of a, “Let’s start now, very modesty, and we’ll see.”

 

FOR INFORMATION ABOUT DONOR ADVISED FUNDS WITH THE CATHOLIC COMMUITY FOUNDATION, CLICK HERE.