Donor Spotlight: The Vuong Family’s St. Philip Phan Van Minh Donor Advised Fund
The Vuongs chose the name St. Philip Phan Van Minh to honor the Vietnamese saint and have high hopes that they can influence other Vietnamese parishioners to consider using the donor advised fund at The Catholic Foundation for their charitable work. Mr. Vuong noted that he is pleased that he can make an impact on a variety of ministries through his donor advised fund, including the local food pantry, and thanks God for opening his eyes to this opportunity to give back.
When the Vuongs opened a donor advised fund at the Catholic Foundation of Central Florida, they knew it was the perfect way to donate to their favorite Catholic ministries. In 1975, Mr. Vuong arrived at a refugee camp in Pensacola where he received help from volunteers at a local Catholic ministry. Mr. Vuong was amazed at the impact that the volunteers had on him and how they helped him to adapt to life in America. Upon recognizing their kindness and generosity he asked himself, “How could they be like that with people they don’t know?”
Over the years, Mr. Vuong moved to Orlando where he met his wife, Mrs. Vuong, and earned an accounting degree from the University of Central Florida. They built a better life for themselves and created a beautiful family that attends Mass at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Winter Haven. Mr. Vuong took a particular interest in Catholic Charities’ Winter Haven food pantry and wanted to help. When remembering the kindness of the volunteers at the refugee camp 45 years ago, Mr. Vuong began to think about charitable giving and wanted to donate as much as he could to help others.
Mr. Vuong received information from The Catholic Foundation of Central Florida inviting him to open a donor advised fund that would allow him to request and distribute grants to the ministries of his choice, especially Catholic Charities Winter Haven food pantry. With assistance from the staff at The Catholic Foundation, Mr. Vuong opened his fund in 2020 and uses the online donor advised fund portal 24/7, “I continue to make donations into my fund and I’m very happy, I can log in and out and make grants whenever I want.”
Mr. Vuong is pleased that he can make an impact on a variety of ministries, including the food pantry, through his donor advised fund and thanks God for opening his eyes towards this opportunity to give back. The Vuongs chose the name St. Philip Phan Van Minh to honor the Vietnamese saint and hopes they can influence other Vietnamese parishioners to consider using the donor advised fund at The Catholic Foundation of Central Florida for their charitable work as well.
Learn more about the many benefits of opening a Catholic donor advised fund with The Catholic Foundation of Central Florida at www.CatholicDAF.org or you can contact Madelyn Weed, Vice President of Donor Services or 407-246-7188.