Angelo Mozilo made his first charitable gift as a child, dropping his offering into the basket during Mass.

His passion for giving hasn’t wavered since.

Born in the Bronx to Italian immigrants, Angelo was expected to follow in his father’s footsteps and become a butcher. His mother, however, insisted that he get an education. After working for a mortgage company at age 14 and later graduating from Fordham University in 1960, Angelo learned the banking business from the ground up. “I learned a lot the tough way,” he reflects.

Angelo partnered with David S. Loeb, the man who would become his mentor and eventually would join him in founding Countrywide Mortgage Investment — one of the pioneers of the non-bank mortgage industry. After stints in Virginia and Florida, Angelo was sent to Southern California to rehabilitate the company’s struggling west coast offices. He would go on to serve as chief executive officer and chairman of the board of Countrywide Financial, a position he held until 2008.

Together with his late wife, Phyllis — whom he describes as “a saint” and his “absolute hero” — Angelo put down roots in Glendale, building wealth gradually over the years. With an emphasis on faith, integrity and hard work, the couple built a loving family.

When one of their children became very ill and required three weeks of quarantine at Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles, Angelo and Phyllis were deeply moved by the hospital’s compassion. That experience catalyzed their passion for supporting hospitals and other medical initiatives, particularly those that provided for diverse and underserved communities.

“Charity was always very important to them. They always felt very fortunate,” says their daughter, Christy Mozilo Larsen. “Before they even had any money, they were always giving back. That’s always been a tenet of the family: Whatever you can, give until it hurts a little. You start with your church, then your community.”

In 1997, the couple created the Phyllis and Angelo R. Mozilo Family Foundation, now known as the Mozilo Family Foundation. Over the years, the foundation has focused on giving to educational and medical communities, with a mission to help dismantle structural barriers to learning and health care.

Both the Mozilo Family Foundation and Angelo and Phyllis themselves have provided extraordinary philanthropic support to Providence Saint Joseph Medical Center — including initiatives like the Cancer Center Campaign, the Cancer Center Endowment Fund, Cancer-Oncology Treatment/Education Research, Where the Need Is Greatest and the Gala.

“We give to Providence because you care for people who can’t afford [to pay], and that’s important to us,” explains Christy. “We’re proud to be part of that family and find the work of the Sisters of Providence remarkable.”

Not long after Phyllis’s untimely passing in 2017, Angelo stepped down as chair of the family foundation. He remains involved as a consultant on initiatives, while Christy serves as board chair and managing director. The entire Mozilo family — including his five children and 11 grandchildren — collaborates to execute the foundation’s vision.

The family’s commitment to charitable giving is guided by their foundation’s motto: Ex granis fit acervus. “A heap is made from grains.” In other words, every bit counts. Through his philanthropic example Angelo continues to bring that principle to life, demonstrating each day that we all have the ability — and the responsibility — to make a significant contribution.