Dear St. Francis School Community,
Twenty years ago, Saint Pope John Paul II said to an audience of Catholic educators in New Orleans: “Yours is a great gift to the Church, a great gift to your nation.”
Like you, countless people in our country have been blessed by the many gifts of Catholic schools. However, some adults have lost touch with their local Catholic school community. It is time for all of us who have been impacted by St. Francis to reconnect with the community that gave all of us so much, and give back.
With this recognition in mind, the National Catholic Educational Association (NCEA) is pleased to present an online giving campaign the week of Catholic Schools week. This timeframe appropriately connects with our patron saint’s feast day on January 31st, 2018: The Feast of St. John Bosco.
This is a time for individuals to give back to their local Catholic school. By leveraging social media, this national day of philanthropy and camaraderie will invite all people, across the country, who have been impacted by Catholic school education in ways big and small, to financially donate at a local level.
WHEN: Scheduled for 24 hours starting January 30, 2018, 12:00 AM PST to January 31, 2018, 11:59 PM PST.
WHERE: Online! Each Catholic school and arch/diocese will have their own customized giving page that will go live at the start of the day of giving. Donors will also be able to search on this page for the institutions to which they would like to give.
WHY: Because Catholic schools transform lives...one student at a time; and, now is the time to give back!
Since 2012, Americans have been celebrating online 24-hour giving days (i.e. #Giving Tuesday), to take a step back from the frenzy of holiday shopping and refocus our resources on charitable giving. Last year alone, Americans gave over $168 million to charities like #Giving Tuesday.
Given that you might be considering a donation to a charity this year, why not consider a donation to support your St. Francis High School? While tuition costs to our school can be a real sacrifice for our families, many do not realize that tuition does not cover the full cost of our operating expenses. St. Francis High School relies on the support of its local community without Diocesan aid, along with critical fundraising efforts, to balance our operating costs. We are asking each family at St. Francis High School to consider a small minimum donation of $30/family; but we are also asking members of the wider community, and people of goodwill in general, to consider any donation higher that might be deemed appropriate.
There are many advantages to choosing St. Francis High School for your gift this year:
- Donations support a local cause; all monies donated stay at St. Francis High School and are used exclusively for the programs and services of the students this year.
- Supporting Catholic education is an absolutely wonderful cause; a tremendous opportunity to give back and support the faith formation of a rising generation.
- Donations are tax deductible.
- You can be part of a national movement in charitable giving
HOW: This January you will receive emails, phone calls, and postcards with the information for you to donate and share with family and friends around the world. Help transform lives for the next generation...one student at a time! God bless you and your family...and GO SHARKS!
Sincerely,
Mr. Patrick Lee
President/Principal