$100K in matching grants for Roof Restoration! Giving Tuesday (12/1)

WE GIVE CATHOLIC 2026: REACHING EVEN HIGHER TO “RAISE THE ROOF!”

You're invited to make a difference for St. James Parish on Giving Tuesday, December 1, from 12:00am to 11:59pm. Early Giving starts Nov. 21 through Nov. 30.

Thanks to your generosity, we were blessed with an extraordinary response to our 2025 #weGiveCatholic campaign! This outcome allowed us to broaden the possibilities for how we might best continue our roof restoration efforts. The 2025 campaign returns have been held to be combined with this year’s in order to advance to an even more ambitious goal:

Of the work still remaining, the great half-dome above the sanctuary stands as the highest priority. Addressing this area is essential to preventing further water infiltration and long-term damage in this area. It is also the most costly and technically challenging of the remaining projects. 

Your gift in this year’s #weGiveCatholic campaign will help move this important project forward by funding preparations and work on this critical phase of the roof project. At this time, our team is continuing to evaluate costs and other factors to determine the scope of work and best options to proceed. Once drawn up, the plan and funding will be submitted to the diocese for approval. 

OUR GOAL: We aim to raise at least $160,000 to continue essential repairs and replacements, safeguard our sacred space from further damage, and build upon the restoration progress already achieved. How far we can go with this work depends on the success of this campaign and future fundraising efforts. 

EXCITING NEWS – TWO MATCHING GRANTS FOR A COMBINED TOTAL OF $100,000!

We are beyond grateful to two anonymous donors for offering extremely generous matching gifts, together totalling 100,000! This means your gift can be doubled or tripled for a huge impact. Every gift brings us closer to this incredible blessing for our roof and eventual interior restoration. Let’s meet the challenge—together! Thank you for your generosity.

TO GIVE: Online donations are preferred, and can be made from Nov. 21 (“Early Giving”) to Dec. 1 at 11:59pm. To make your gift, click the DONATE WGC button at the top of this website -or- visit our Giving Page directly at:  https://www.wegivecatholic.org/organizations/St-James-Parish-10.

Offline donations (checks preferred) as well as online donations can also be made at our Campaign Kickoff event after Mass on Nov. 22. For more information about donating offline, contact Mary Westmeyer: marywestmeyer@roadrunner.com

HOW ELSE CAN I HELP? Please pray for the success of this campaign. For more ways to make a big impact, consider conducting a Peer-to-Peer fundraiser, a “mini-campaign-within-a-campaign,” by spreading the word among your friends and family. This can be a meaningful opportunity to honor a loved one or to celebrate a milestone.  We can set it up to make it easy for you. For more information, contact Mary Westmeyer at marywestmeyer@roadrunner.com.

PRIZES, PRIZES! Last year we were awarded $2k in prize money from the Catholic Community Foundation for the highest number of unique donations in our Small Parish category. Can you help us take 1st place again this year? Consider donating separately among your family members with separate email addresses, rather than making one group gift.

ON GIVING TUESDAY, DEC. 1: View the leaderboards at www.wegivecatholic.org throughout the day. Cheer St. James on, as we win prizes and progress towards our goal! Follow us on Facebook for periodic updates at: www.facebook.com/StJamesLakewood

Let us join together as a community today. Together we will preserve the breathtaking architecture and art of our historic church, step by step. Thank you for your generosity!

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ABOUT #weGIVECATHOLIC

#weGiveCatholic is 24+ hours of fun and fundraising hosted by the Catholic Community Foundation. Anyone can donate to support St. James and other favorite ministries. Organizations compete in a friendly competition for prize money and can track their progress during the day through online leaderboards at www.weGiveCatholic.org.