Month: March 2024
The Pulte Family Charitable Foundation Announces Endowment with Holy Cross College to Support the Moreau College Prison Initiative.
The Pulte Family Charitable Foundation is proud to announce an endowment partnership with Holy Cross College through a gift of $1,000,000 in support of the Moreau College Prison Initiative. The Moreau College Prison Initiative’s commitment to providing educational opportunities to incarcerated individuals in Indiana is changing lives and creating meaningful pathways to transformative and personal growth. Over four years, the College will seek partners to match this gift, with the establishment of a $2,000,000 endowment for Holy Cross’s Moreau College.
The Moreau College at Westville Correctional Facility is already a leader in best academic practices and this endowment marks a significant commitment to the educational programs at Holy Cross College and reflects the Foundation’s dedication to fostering positive change within the community. Moreau College reflects the mission of Holy Cross College to form Scholars, Citizens, Leaders and Disciples for the Church and world, in service of the common good. Moreover, Moreau College is a proud partner with the University of Notre Dame’s Programs for Education in Prison, which among other goals seeks to expand, deepen, and evaluate the transformative impacts of prison education efforts, provide career development and other re-entry support for students.
Following an impactful visit to the Westville Correctional Facility, representatives from the Pulte Family Charitable Foundation were deeply moved by the exceptional caliber of the Moreau College Prison Initiative. Witnessing the dedicated community, unwavering commitment of the students, the caliber of classes and the passion of the professors, the Foundation recognized the profound impact being made within the program.
In alignment with the Foundation’s mission, this endowment seeks to uphold the core values of compassion, empathy, and social responsibility. It embodies the Foundation’s commitment to enacting the Seven Corporal Works of Mercy, which include feeding the hungry, giving drink to the thirsty, clothing the naked, caring for the captives, sheltering the homeless, visiting the sick, and assisting the mourning. Through this endowment, the Pulte Family Charitable Foundation aims to empower the Moreau College Prison Initiative to continue their impactful work, furthering their mission of providing hope, education, and support to those within the correctional facility.
Holy Cross College President, Dr. Marco Clark, expressed that “this transformational gift from the Pulte Family Charitable Foundation aligns with the Holy Cross Strategic Plan priority to further enhance Moreau College’s stature as a national leader of college-in-prison programs.”
In expressing their dedication to this partnership, Karen Pulte, Director of the Scholarship Program at the Pulte Family Charitable Foundation, remarked, “We are honored to support the Moreau College Prison Initiative and Holy Cross College in their commitment to transforming lives through education and empowerment. This endowment represents a meaningful step towards fostering positive change and providing essential opportunities for personal growth and development within the corrections community.”
For media inquiries or further information about the endowment and the Moreau College Prison Initiative, please contact Kate Fasullo at 561-544-0955 or kate@pultefamilyfoundation.org
The Pulte Family Charitable Foundation:
The Pulte Family Charitable Foundation is committed to creating meaningful and lasting change within communities. By partnering with organizations and initiatives that embody compassion, social responsibility, and a commitment to positive transformation, the Foundation aims to make a tangible impact and foster a brighter future for all.
Holy Cross College:
Founded by the Brothers of Holy Cross in 1966, Holy Cross College is a distinctly Catholic, residential liberal arts college based in the tri-campus of Notre Dame, Indiana. Students prepare for meaningful careers while earning traditional bachelor’s degrees, accelerated three-year degrees, associate of arts degrees, as well as programs which are a collaboration with the University of Notre Dame, such as the Gateway Program and the Moreau College Initiative at Westville Correctional Facility.
Bill’s North Star – His God
“The first thing in life has got to be your God. Second is your family. And, if we do things right here, your Pulte family’s the third.”
Bill Pulte (2006)
Bill was a man nurtured by the love of God and whose goal was always to do the same for others….always. His core set of values didn’t leave room for second-guessing. His values of humility, honesty, integrity, and trust were uncompromising.
Bill was a daily communicant in the Catholic Church for nearly sixty years and went even when he was out of town. His eyes only saw the best in people, his heart forgave the worst, and his mind would forget the bad. And, when asked to speak about his faith, he would talk about the power of prayer. His soul was one that never lost faith in God. Bill would say that the prayers he prayed for weren’t always answered the way he wanted them to be, but looking back, he realized they were answered in a better way.
“From the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked.”(Luke 12:48). This scripture verse was one of Bill’s guiding stars.
One time, when his adult children were interviewed, one of his daughters commented, “Dad’s life lesson 501 is we shouldn’t be so worried about what we can get out of something but be more worried about what we can give.” Another of Bill’s children said, “I think there’s a common thread from our dad. Dad is not a perfect man and has made mistakes, but there are common threads from the time we were small: Don’t worry who gets the credit, don’t sweat the small stuff, be fair, be a person of integrity, don’t lie, and give to others.”
When we think of people the world admires, whatever our spiritual or political inclinations, the commonality is that each has a sense of purpose. Their lives are dedicated to an ideal related to their own humanity and a more complete world. Bill Pulte was such a person. His legacy is undeniable. His beacon of light, bestowed upon him by God’s bountiful grace, will always shine for others to follow.