Leadership, volunteer involvement and passion are the key factors that led Tom and Amy Scalici of Allentown to start an endowment fund with the Catholic Foundation of Eastern Pennsylvania. The Scalici Family Fund, created in October 2017, supports three worthy Catholic causes in perpetuity: St. John Vianney Regional School, the Mercy School for Special Learning and the Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Allentown.
Leading by Example Runs in the Family
“It was a confluence of circumstances,” Scalici, CEO of Cornerstone Advisors Asset Management, said. “I have always felt it was important to lead by example.”
Both Tom and Amy have served in leadership positions and supported many Catholic organizations including their parish Cathedral of St. Catherine of Siena. Tom is a founding board member of the Catholic Foundation and is its current vice president. He also is finishing up his fifth year as board chairman for St. John Vianney School. Amy participates in various church and school committees and currently sings in the Cathedral’s Living Word Choir.
The couples’ involvement, as well as their children’s involvement, exposed them to the needs in our community.
“When our daughters attended Central Catholic High School, they volunteered at Mercy,” Amy said. “We all gained a much greater appreciation for the good work performed by the faculty and staff, and the impact they have on students with special needs.
“It made sense to support Mercy as well as Catholic Charities who also plays a vital role in the lives of people who truly need help.”
The Lasting Impact of the Scalici Family Endowment Fund
With their family endowment fund in place, the Scalicis believe their support will have lasting impact.
“I have spent my career managing a prudent investment process for retirement plans, institutions and individuals,” Tom said. “Every Catholic institution needs funding so they may remain sustainable over the long run. “An endowment fund with the Catholic Foundation provides consistent annual funding that will support an organization perpetually. Over time, the gift will grow which means the annual amount distributed to them will grow accordingly,” Tom said.