Catholic Noles is grateful to announce that the Catholic Student Union has been awarded a $12,000 grant from the Catholic Foundation of Northwest Florida (CFNWF) through the Gerald and Patricia Mills Endowment. This generous grant will help sustain a fifth FOCUS missionary, strengthening Catholic Noles' ability to welcome, accompany, and form students during one of the most important seasons of their lives.

For Catholic Noles, the grant is especially meaningful because it reflects more than a single gift. It is part of a longstanding relationship with the CFNWF, whose support for Catholic Noles dates back to 2015. Over the years, the Foundation's generosity has helped strengthen Catholic campus ministry in Tallahassee and invest in the faith formation of young adults at Florida State University, Florida A&M University, Tallahassee State College, and the surrounding college community.

The grant also tells a larger story about the power of Catholic legacy giving. Through the Gerald and Patricia Mills Endowment, the faith and generosity of faithful donors continue to bear fruit in the life of the Church,  reaching people the original givers may never have known, in ways they could only have hoped and prayed for.
Andrea Rosenbaum, who leads legacy giving efforts for the CFNWF, reflected on what it means to give with that kind of vision.

"It takes someone who really has a long-term vision to say, I'm doing this today, knowing that it will begin to do good, but it will do things for many years and even long after I'm gone," she said. "People like the Mills who say, what I believe in as a Catholic is so important, it must continue,  even if I don't know personally the people who are going to benefit from this, I am trusting that this is part of the future of my church and my own personal legacy."
 

That trust is now bearing fruit at Catholic Noles.

FOCUS missionaries walk personally with students through Bible studies, discipleship, prayer, friendship, and one-on-one accompaniment. Their presence helps students encounter Christ in a personal way and grow as leaders who carry their faith into their families, parishes, workplaces, and communities long after graduation.

The Foundation's ongoing investment in Catholic Noles reflects what Rosenbaum describes as a core part of the Foundation's mission: resourcing ministries that are meeting real needs and producing visible fruit.

"When there is a program or a ministry that is effective and is really meeting a need, there's a real willingness to invest in that over time, because you can see the fruits," she said.

Support from partners like the CFNWF helps make Catholic Noles’ work possible and sustainable.

"We are deeply grateful to the CFNWF, and to those associated with the Gerald and Patricia Mills Endowment for investing in our students," said Sam Nunnally, Director of Campus Ministry at Catholic Noles. "This grant helps us ensure more students can encounter Christ, grow in faith, and find a lasting home in the Church."

For many students, Catholic Noles becomes much more than a campus ministry. It becomes the place where they return to the sacraments, discover lifelong friendships, discern their vocation, and learn how to live their Catholic faith with confidence and joy.

"The support from the CFNWF through the Gerald and Patricia Mills Endowment is a gift that reaches students right where they are," said Kate Ruona, 2026-27 Student President Ambassador for Catholic Noles. "FOCUS missionaries create an environment where students feel loved and encouraged in their faith journey, known by name, invited into community, and accompanied in a deeply personal way. This grant helps Catholic Noles continue to be a spiritual home where students can encounter Christ and grow in an authentic Catholic community."

As Catholic Noles prepares for a new academic year, this grant is a reminder that the mission of forming young adults in faith is shared across the wider Church and that a gift made in faith continues to do good long after the giver is gone.

Through the Catholic Foundation of Northwest Florida and the Gerald and Patricia Mills Endowment, that legacy lives on, helping young adults encounter Christ, grow in faith, and become leaders for the Church of today and tomorrow.

To learn more about the Catholic Foundation of Northwest Florida and how you can support Catholic ministry through legacy giving, visit https://legacygifts.org/.