Ted McCourtney and his wife, Tracy, have supported Catholic Charities of New York for more than five decades. They see their generosity as a simple way to live out the values of their Catholic faith.
“The reason we give really comes down to the Gospel,” Ted said. “Jesus said, whatever you do for the least of my brothers, you do for me. When you look at what Catholic Charities does — feeding the hungry, clothing those in need, sheltering families — it’s exactly what Christ calls us to do.”
Ted and his wife Tracy have been giving to Catholic Charities for more than 50 years. Their commitment began when their four children were young, during a conversation about Christmas and the importance of thinking beyond their own family and sharing with those in need. “When the kids were little, buying Christmas presents was a big deal,” he recalled. “One day we said, we ought to do something for people who are less fortunate. Around that time, I was reading The New York Times, and they used to publish stories about the neediest cases. Catholic Charities was listed among the organizations helping those families, and we thought — why don’t we send our support there?”
A Family Tradition of Giving
Since then, giving has become part of the McCourtney family’s way of living their faith.
Ted points to the teachings of Jesus — especially the commandment to love one another and the parable of the Good Samaritan — as the foundation for their commitment.
“Our Catholic faith plays a big role,” he said. “Christ gave us the greatest commandments, and they lead us to care for others. Catholic Charities lives that out every day.”
The McCourtneys are active members of St. Mary of the Assumption Parish in Katonah, where service to others is part of parish life. Ted regularly supports parish initiatives, including local food drives and fundraising for the Cardinal’s Annual Stewardship Appeal.
“This week our parish is running a food drive in Westchester County,” he said. “We have our bag ready with the rice and cereal they specified for us to buy.”
Supporting a Trusted Mission
For Ted, another reason he continues to give to Catholic Charities is trust — trust that the organization uses donations wisely and reaches people who truly need help.
“The thing about Catholic Charities is that it provides so many services,” he said. “When you give, you know you’re doing good work. They represent the Catholic faith, and they reach out to people in need. And you know the vast majority of what you give goes to the people who need it.”
After five decades of support, Ted says the reason for giving has never changed.
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