Pope Francis Center to Honor Nancy Pulte Rickard and Michigan House Speaker Joe Tate at Building Bridges Gala

DETROIT, Mich., Feb. 23, 2024 — Nancy Pulte Rickard, president of the Pulte Family Charitable Foundation, and Michigan House Speaker Joe Tate (D-Detroit) will be honored for their work improving lives and uplifting those struggling on the margins of society at Pope Francis Center’s 2024 Building Bridges Gala on April 11.

“”We are truly honored to have Nancy and Speaker Tate as our distinguished guests at this year’s Building Bridges Gala,” said Fr. Tim McCabe, SJ, president and CEO of the Pope Francis Center. “As we work together toward our goal of ending chronic homelessness in Detroit, these two individuals have been tremendous partners through their strong leadership and passion for helping those less fortunate among us.”

The Pulte Family Charitable Foundation supports nonprofits and academic institutions that work to address humanitarian initiatives in the United States and globally and has long been a supporter of the Pope Francis Center. The foundation has invested more than $143 million in communities since it was started by William J. Pulte (1932-2018), founder of PulteGroup, the nation’s third-largest home builder.

Rickard, the daughter of William Pulte, received a bachelor’s degree in management from Albion College and a master’s in public administration with a minor in economics from Bowling Green State University. Rickard has been recognized by Authority Magazine as a Social Impact Hero. She is a trustee of the Order of St. John of Jerusalem Knights Hospitaller (Malta), OSJ Commandery of Florida. Rickard also serves on the Advisory Council for the Keough School of Global Affairs at the University of Notre Dame and the Notre Dame Family Philanthropy Network Committee.

Tate, Michigan’s first Black Speaker of the House and a Detroit native, has been instrumental in setting legislative priorities that put people first and uplift city residents from across the economic spectrum. He is serving his third term in the Michigan Legislature and represents the 10th House District. 

After attending Michigan State University on a football scholarship, Tate played two seasons in the National Football League before joining the U.S. Marine Corps where he deployed twice to Afghanistan during Operation Enduring Freedom. Following an honorable discharge from the Marine Corps, Tate earned both an MBA and a master’s in environmental policy and planning from the University of Michigan. Before joining the Legislature, Tate helped small businesses grow their capacity as a program manager for the Detroit Economic Growth Corp.

The Building Bridges Gala raises funds for Pope Francis Center’s daily operations of providing nutritious meals and support services to more than 200 people six days a week from its location on St. Antoine Street in Detroit.

Lear Corporation and Magna International are presenting sponsors for the event, which will take place on the playing field of Ford Field in Detroit. To learn more about the 2024 Building Bridges Gala, including sponsorship opportunities and to buy tickets, please visit https://popefranciscenter.org/our-events/annual-gala/2024-gala/

As part of its mission to end chronic homelessness in Detroit, Pope Francis Center is nearing completion of a 40-unit Bridge Housing Campus in Detroit’s Core City neighborhood. The campus will provide guests with 90-120 days of shelter, along with intensive medical, respite, psychological, addiction, social and job-readiness services before they transition to permanent supportive housing. Pope Francis Center will continue to serve guests at the St. Antoine Street location after the campus opens in June.