Solicitors Luncheon launches phase one of the 2026 DPAA, “Live as Children of Light”

Bella Bailey

Multimedia Correspondent

Fifty-five volunteers from parishes across the Diocese gathered, Jan. 21, to quietly launch the Leadership Gifts Phase of the 2026 Diocesan Parish Annual Appeal (DPAA), at the DPAA solicitor’s luncheon. These 55 volunteers are responsible for reaching out to the top 250 donors of the 2025 DPAA to solicit donations before the public phase of the DPAA.

Last year, the Leadership Gifts phase raised 33 percent of the lofty $2.7 million goal. This year, the goal of the DPAA marks a slight increase to $2.754 million with the theme “Live as Children of Light.” Born out of Paul’s letter to the Ephesians, the theme, “is a reminder that we have been called out of darkness, we’re being called out of darkness and being baptized into Jesus. Because light produces every goodness, kindness and truth. That’s the call to be children of light,” said Bishop John Iffert.

New to the DPAA this year is the introduction of a parish participation goal. Calculated by increasing the total number of donors at a parish by five percent from the previous year, the participation goal “is not at all linked to the dollar goal. It’s not linked to a monetary incentive, or a prize,” said Jim Hess, director of the Office of Stewardship and Mission Services. “The DPAA has raised more and more money every year, but we’ve done it with fewer and fewer donors, so we’re trying to reverse that,” he said.

Dr. Greg Salzman, leadership gifts chair, told the solicitors, “What we’re really doing is inviting someone to fulfill their need to give. Everyone has things that are a gift from God, and we’re just stewards of those gifts.”

“This is about our call to respond to God in gratitude,” said Bishop Iffert to the solicitors. “We are grateful for everything that God has poured on us. Because of that gratitude we need to respond to God by contributing again to the mission of Jesus Christ.”

Results of the leadership gifts phase will be announced at the DPAA kick-off dinners March 3 in Mount Olivet and March 5 in Erlanger.