The 2017-2018 Annual Giving Appeal is off to a great start – we are currently at 38% of our fundraising goal – but we need your help to make it as successful as possible. Please consider donating to: Facilities and Campus, Bursary Endowment, Greatest Need or the Alumni Scholarship.
Please read this important message.
I recently spoke to a parent of a child who attends our school. She told me a dream of hers was to send her child to St. Bon’s because of the academic reputation of the school, the kindness of the community and the care and concern of all. Her challenge living on a single income was finding the tuition fee. She applied for bursary assistance and with that help and with overtime pay and savings, she was able to send her child. She was so grateful for the bursary fund that she cried in my office. Her child is flourishing.
About six weeks ago, our maintenance supervisor came to my office with news that we had to repair the roof in Mullock Hall and it was urgent. This was a project not in our maintenance schedule nor budgeted. Thankfully, I was able to use funds set aside for “greatest need” to spend the $7,699.99 needed.
These are but two stories of how funds from our Annual Giving Appeal have helped to enrich our school.
Tuition fees pay for the operation of St. Bonaventure’s College, including salaries and general operating costs like cleaning supplies, general maintenance, heat, light, telephone, insurance, etc. Tuition fees DO NOT pay for the bursary assistance program, teacher professional development or facility upgrades or improvements. Our bursary program is central to our mission and an essential and vital part of any Jesuit institution. Each year we are required to raise approximately $400,000 in order to offer improve and upgrade the facilities, provide a bursary program and enhance teacher professional development opportunities.
Through donations and fund raising activities we raise these funds, thanks to the kind and generous support of alumni, benefactors and parents.
Our principal sources of parental support come through the Fall Gala, the Lottery and the Annual Giving Appeal.
We are purposefully moving toward an Annual Giving Appeal which is now the cornerstone fundraising request each year from the school to our community.
I ask each of you to seriously consider this request for support and do what you can to help us reach our goal of $400,000.00 for this school year. You can donate any amount and we will be thankful for your participation and support. To donate online please click here. If you would like to mail in your donation you can downland our Annual Giving Brochure here for the donation form and mail your donation to St. Bonaventure’s College, 2A Bonaventure Ave, St. John’s, NL A1C 6B3
This school is a special place made extraordinary for each child by employing innovative educators in facilities which enhance learning and by offering a bursary program.
Father Henri J.M. Nouwen an well known theologian says in “A Spirituality of Fundraising,”
“Fundraising is proclaiming what we believe in such a way that we offer other people an opportunity to participate with us in our vision and mission.”
I extend God’s Blessing to you and your family and I look forward to hearing from you.
Peace,
Tom McGrath
President
