Mary Hasenoehrl and Doug Gross

Doug Gross and Mary Hasenoehrl

“Our faith and love are the glue that holds a civilized society together.”

Mary Hasenoehrl and Doug Gross had to use those words as their foundation when each suddenly lost their longtime spouses 11 and 10 years ago, respectively. They were here one day and gone the next.

“Ironically, neither of us grew up Catholic. It was our deceased spouses who introduced us to the Catholic faith,” Mary said. “We were married in 2014 and have put together a new life that spans from Moscow to Boise. We are connected to St. Augustine’s Church on the University of Idaho Campus, All Saint’s Parish in Lewiston, Our Lady of the Lake in McCall, Our Lady of the Valley in Caldwell and St. John’s Cathedral in Boise, and we have grandkids who have or will be attending three different Catholic schools.

“While it seems as though we are always on the go, we feel very much at home in any of the parishes. We have been so blessed in many ways, and it is our desire to give back to each of the communities that have been so important in our spiritual journey.”

Mary and Doug were introduced to the concept of a donor advised fund</a hre> (DAF) several years ago by a financial advisor. A DAF allowed them to make a tax-deductible donation while keeping the money working until they were ready to recommend which qualified charitable organization they wanted to contribute to.

“We liked the DAF at the Idaho Catholic Foundation, because we know the investment strategy meets our standards. It is also easy to use. Simply login and use the drop box, which lists the Idaho parishes and schools, and designate our donation.”

Creating a donor advised fund with the Idaho Catholic Foundation means total certainty about driving your philanthropy to charities and causes aligned to your Catholic faith. To learn more, contact Margaret Hampton at (208) 342-1311, ext. 5139 or mhampton@rcdb.org.