Don Hall and Marion Hall: Celebrating Their Generous Support

How did you become involved with Sisters Rising Worldwide?

“I met Sister Irene O’Neill about eight years ago,” said Don Hall. “I used to work at Control Data Corporation with Norbert Berg – he hired me there – and Norb was a friend of Sister Irene’s. Norb said he wanted me to meet Sister Irene and explained that she was setting up a new nonprofit to help Sisters across the world. So I met Sister Irene and heard about her proposal for Sisters Rising Worldwide and the PeaceRoom. I was impressed with both her and her vision to create a communication tool for nuns throughout the world that would allow them to discuss their needs.”

Why are you passionate about Sisters Rising Worldwide’s mission?

“I went to Catholic school for 17 years (as did my wife, Marion), including kindergarten. So, I knew all about the Sisters, their leadership, and what they make possible. It made so much sense to me when Sister Irene told me that Sisters all over the world are working at the grassroots level to solve social problems. I remember her saying that most people ‘run from problems, but the Sisters run to them.’ I envisioned Mother Teresa in India. Sister Irene said more than 600,000 nuns are working worldwide, and everybody trusts them. As she said, ‘Even the bad guys trust them.’ That was very impressive. Also, while the number of nuns might be declining in the U.S., they are increasing in other parts of the world. When you invest in Sisters Rising Worldwide, you know that it is an organization that will endure because the Sisters’ work has gone on for centuries. I believe Sisters are the future of the Church.”

What influences or experiences in your life shaped your understanding of giving and philanthropy? 

“It isn’t enough to just live for yourself. You should also do things for others. I have an aptitude for investing in stocks, and I asked myself, ‘To what purpose and how much is enough?’ When investing in a company, I learn as much about its leadership as possible and attend stockholder meetings. I take the same approach with my philanthropy by learning as much as I can about the many nonprofits. I look for strong leaders who are addressing society’s problems. Sisters Rising Worldwide certainly meets those standards.”

What would you say to others considering getting involved with Sisters Rising Worldwide? 

“Good for you! You are on the right track! I often tell people that they should meet Sister Irene. Then I say, ‘If you were in business, you would hire her!’ I greatly support Sisters Rising Worldwide’s mission and Sister Irene’s vision for growth. When you invest in Sisters Rising Worldwide, your funds can be used to help projects anywhere in the world, and you don’t have to research to find where they are. You can trust the nuns to meet root causes everywhere. Sisters Rising Worldwide is sorting out quality projects for your investment. It has really simplified my giving, and it can simplify yours, too.”

Is there anything else you would like to share with the SRW community?

“To give just one example, it was heartbreaking to learn that women and children were leaving Ukraine once the invasion started. They were moving to neighboring countries as their men stayed behind to fight. How could one help? Well, Sisters in Poland were taking care of these displaced families, and Sisters Rising Worldwide knew how to send them your aid.”

Thank You, Don and Marion!

Don and Marion, thank you for your long-time and generous support of Sisters Rising Worldwide. If you would like to join the Halls in contributing to Sisters Rising Worldwide, please contact Sister Irene at irene@srw.org or donate online at www.srw.org. 

For more stories about our dedicated supporters, check out our Donor Stories page. Additionally, you can learn more about our upcoming projects and how you can get involved here.