On June 1, 2012 St. Vincent de Paul began a capital campaign for a tuition assistance endowment for Sts. James and John School. Since St. Vincent’s no longer has a school, the parish has supported Sts. James and John as part of its outreach ministry.
Who are the Students of Ss. James and John?
The school has 266 kids 85% of whom qualify for the federal lunch program. Over 90% of the graduates go on to Catholic High Schools or City Wide High Schools 
(like Poly, City or Western). What we offer these children by our support is an opportunity to move out of poverty into the middle class and form them with solid Christian values. Learn more information about the school.
What is the financial need?
On average parents pay half of the $5000 tuition. Many are on welfare and can only afford to pay $160 a month or $1600. The other half has to come from other sources, diocesan contributions, parish contributions, scholarship funds, but in recent years that money has not been enough to cover the total cost of tuition. In actuality, it has only amounted to covering $1250 of the remaining tuition.
What is St. Vincent’s trying to do?
Through the vision and leadership of Fr. Richard Lawrence, St. Vincent’s has embarked on a capital campaign that will raise enough funds to create an endowment for tuition assistance to cover the remaining quarter of tuition expense. To generate $1250 of tuition per student per year, $25,000 of capital is needed. For a school of 266-275 students, that comes to a total of $7 million in a Financial Aid Endowment. Read Fr. Dick’s letter of appeal or watch a video of his appeal.
We currently have $1 million in endowed funds. Mary Catherine Bunting has pledged $3 million towards our goal. We are approaching other sources of major funding for $2 million of our goal. That leaves $1 million that we need to raise as a parish to complete our goal.
What can you do to help?
If you would like to participate, we encourage you to consider making a donation of $12,500 over the course of 5 years ($200+/month for 60 months). This is the amount needed to create one scholarship to endow one student in perpetuity. We can create a named fund in the endowment, and tell one child each year that their education is being funded by this gift. If you cannot give that amount consider contributing a half scholarship of $6250. Of course, we realize a gift of that size may also be out of reach for you. A gift of any size will add to our effort of reaching our goal of sustaining the future education of these children. Learn why this is a cause worth supporting.
Though this drive is part of the Archdiocesan Capital Campaign, the funds that we raise at St. Vincent’s will go directly and exclusively to the Sts. James and John endowed scholarship fund. To date we have received pledges in the amount of $569,700.00! We are over the half way mark of our goal. We ask for your donation to help support our efforts.
Still have questions?
Read the frequently asked questions about the campaign.
