CATHOLIC EDUCATION FOUNDATION RECEIVES $50 MILLION DONATION TO PROVIDE SCHOLARSHIPS TO DESERVING NEW STUDENTS OF ARCHDIOCESAN CATHOLIC SCHOOLS  

June 16, 2021  |  By: newsroom  |  Press Releases, The Latest  |  

The Catholic Education Foundation of Los Angeles (CEF) today announced that it has received a $50 million gift to provide financial support to new elementary and high school students enrolling in one of the 212 Archdiocese of Los Angeles Catholic schools in Los Angeles, Ventura and Santa Barbara counties. The generous gift from an anonymous donor, which will be allocated over five years, will ensure that thousands of new students will experience the gift of a quality Catholic education based in faith and values for years to come. Families interested in Archdiocese Catholic schools are encouraged to visit lacatholicschools.org or call (213) 637-7070 for more information and access to financial assistance.

“The kindness and love reflected in this gift are beyond words,” said Archbishop José H. Gomez, Archbishop of Los Angeles. “This gift will change the lives of countless young men and women, for generations to come, opening up opportunities for the future they could never have dreamed of. On behalf of all these young people, their families, and the whole family of God, we thank God for this benefactor and this beautiful expression of love for the Church.” 

“It is with tremendous gratitude and appreciation that the Catholic Education Foundation accepts this transformative gift for tuition awards for new enrollees to our Catholic Schools and for students who left our schools but now will be able to return,” said Douglas Cooper, Executive Director of the Catholic Education Foundation. “There is no greater gift than a Catholic education which teaches values of faith, family and service.  We are beyond grateful to this anonymous donor for their kindness, leadership and generosity, and we look forward to welcoming these students and families into our family of Catholic Schools.”

Over the past 34 years, CEF has provided $225 million in tuition assistance awards to 202,000 financially deserving students attending Catholic schools throughout the Archdiocese. Catholic Schools of the Archdiocese boast innovative programs in science, technology, engineering, mathematics (STEM), and dual-language immersion that serve more than 65,000 students. Students receiving CEF assistance have a graduation rate of 98 percent and a college attendance rate of 98 percent.

When the pandemic began, Archdiocesan school leaders, teachers and staff transitioned immediately to distance learning to ensure that the students they serve never stopped learning.  Ninety-six percent of elementary and high schools reporting regular attendance and more than fifty percent of Catholic students experiencing increased academic performance during the pandemic.

 

Archdiocesan schools, which will resume in-person learning for the next academic year starting in August, rely on contributions and other support to maintain education that is affordable and accessible for all families, which means that all students have a benefit. In addition to scholarships awarded by individual schools and parishes, CEF granted 10,022 in tuition assistance awards this past academic year (20-21) alone to students in poverty who attend 209 of the 212 archdiocesan schools totaling $12,627,500 in funding.

 

“This is a remarkable opportunity to welcome new and legacy families to our Catholic schools.  A gift of this magnitude will change the lives of thousands of students, particularly our most needy,” said Paul Escala, Senior Director and Superintendent of Schools for the Archdiocese. “We are deeply grateful for the confidence and faith this gift reflects in our teachers, leaders and families.”

 

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ABOUT CATHOLIC EDUCATION FOUNDATION OF LOS ANGELES (CEF)

The Catholic Education Foundation of Los Angeles’ mission is to provide tuition assistance to the most financially deserving students attending Catholic elementary and high schools within the Archdiocese of Los Angeles. Its purpose is to make a quality Catholic education accessible to students in need to lay the foundation for academic achievement and help develop values of faith, family, community, and service. In 2021, The Catholic Education Foundation provided more than $12 million in tuition assistance for more than 10,022 underserved students. For more information, please visit https://cefdn.org/, Facebook and Twitter.

ABOUT ARCHDIOCESE OF LOS ANGELES CATHOLIC SCHOOLS
Established more than 100 years ago, Catholic schools in the Archdiocese provide faith-based education where students receive tools for success in college and in their future careers focused on a commitment to service to their local and global communities. Statewide, Catholic schools save California more than $2 billion in educational funding each year. A majority (78%) of Archdiocesan Catholic school students are under-represented minorities with more than half of the Catholic schools (60%) in inner-city/urban areas. To learn more on Catholic education visit lacatholicschools.org and follow instagram.com/catholicedla and facebook.com/catholicedla.