CATHOLIC EDUCATION FOUNDATION CELEBRATES 25 YEARS AND $136 MILLION IN TUITION ASSISTANCE FOR INNER-CITY STUDENTS
May 30, 2013  |  By:   |  Press Releases  |  

 

25th Anniversary Gala to raise $1.5 million for an additional 1250 children from low-income families to receive a quality Catholic education and a head-start on the road to higher education

The Catholic Education Foundation (CEF) will celebrate 25 years of investment in the children of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles this Saturday, June 1, at the CEF 25th Anniversary Gala hosted by Archbishop José H. Gomez, Edward P. Roski, Jr. and the Honorable Richard J. Riordan. The event will take place at The Lot Studios, 1041 N. Formosa Ave., West Hollywood, CA, 6:30-10 p.m.

Monty Hall, renowned host of the game show, Let’s Make A Deal, will serve as the Master of Ceremonies for this event honoring long-time philanthropists and CEF founding members Kathleen McCarthy-Kostlan and Peter W. Mullin for their tireless leadership and commitment to students throughout the Archdiocese.

“Providing our children with the educational tools to succeed in life is the best investment we can make for our future,” said Archbishop Gomez. “It is through the generosity and commitment of caring individuals like our honorees that we are able to help low-income families give the gift of a quality Catholic education to their children so that they may become the leaders of tomorrow.”

Since its inception in 1987, CEF has granted 132,000 tuition awards totaling $136 million in program funding. A 2012 Loyola Marymount University study concluded that 98% of CEF-sponsored students graduate from high school and continue on to higher education. The Foundation’s mission remains focused on providing tuition support to the most economically disadvantaged children in schools serving the poorest communities of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, which includes Los Angeles, Ventura, and Santa Barbara counties. These schools reverse the cycle of poverty by empowering students to achieve a successful life with the ability to learn in a safe, challenging, and character-building environment.

Marco Rivas, a CEF student graduating from Bishop Mora Salesian High School and attending Princeton University in the fall said, “Nelson Mandela was correct when saying that education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world. Thanks to the Catholic Education Foundation and their generous support, I have been given the opportunity to receive an excellent high school education, in hope that one day I can make a positive impact on the world.”

Classmate David Manrique added, “Thanks to CEF, I received an amazing education both spiritually and academically. I plan to implement all that I have learned next year at UCLA.”

To learn more about CEF or to make a donation, visit http://www.cefdn.org  or call (213) 637-7496.

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