7th & 8th grade students who attend St. Matthew Catholic School were challenged by the Foundation for the Diocese of El Paso to raise at least $1,000 per class over their summer break for the St. Matthew Catholic School Endowment Fund, managed by the Catholic Foundation. The endowment fund is a permanent fund for the school that provides needed scholarships and financial aid annually to students attending St. Matthew Catholic School.
St. Matthew Catholic School students met the challenge and together raised $2,000 under the leadership of Olga Macias, who served as principal from 2011 until October of this year. The students raised the money through snack sales, yard work, babysitting, and good old-fashioned fundraising. The Foundation matched the gifts with $1,000. This is the 3rd year of the “Challenge” tradition at St. Matthew.
The Foundation currently manages 87 separate endowment funds for diocesan charities, ministries, parishes, and schools. Of these, 25 funds are designated for Catholic schools with a combined value of close to $7 million and 8 are named scholarship funds, including the Bishop’s Scholarship Fund, the Luz Ulrickson Scholarship Fund for Cathedral High School, Miles Scholarship Fund, Nancy Mendez Saucedo Scholarship Fund for Father Yermo High School, the Cathedral Alumni Association Endowment Fund, and the Loretto Academy Scholarship Fund. Each one of El Paso’s schools has at least one endowed fund for scholarships. Every spring, the Foundation distributes 4% of the fund’s value to schools.
If you’re interested in providing scholarships, gifts to endowment for scholarships and financial aid, making a donation to the Foundation from your IRA, or you and your family want to sponsor a scholarship fund, contact Major Gifts Officer Sofía Larkin at slarkin@elpasodiocese.org or 915.872.8412. Your continued generosity makes this work possible.
The Foundation’s aim is to work with Catholic school students to build community and inspire philanthropy. Congratulations to St. Matthew Catholic School for their acts of compassion and stewardship!
Photo Credit: Joe Najera
You can reach Major Gifts Officer Sofía Larkin at 915.872.8412 or slarkin@elpasodiocese.org. The Foundation for the Diocese of El Paso is located at the Pastoral Center at 499 St. Matthews Street and office hours are Monday – Friday, 9-12, 1-5, and by appointment.