Saint Peter’s University President Eugene Cornacchia was honored at the Scholarship Fund for Inner-City Children Gala, where several students from St. Nicholas School in Jersey City served as ambassadors.
By John Heinis/Hudson County View
The SFIC raised 470,000 through its recent gala at West Orange’s Pleasantdale Chateau on May 8th, surpassing the target goal by over $100,000.
This substantial amount will be used to provide partial tuition assistance scholarships for underprivileged students attending the Archdiocese of Newark Catholic schools, underscoring the community’s unwavering support for youth education.
“We are very grateful to all our friends who were able to attend our gala. Without their support, we could not grant thousands of students the scholarships needed to attend schools within the Archdiocese of Newark,” SFIC CEO Dr. Michelle L. Hartman said in a statement.
“It is the time, talent, and treasure we receive from our supporters that changes the lives of the children within our community.”
The gala saw many scholarship recipients taking center stage, including over 100 student ambassadors from Koinonia Academy in Plainfield and St. Nicholas School in Jersey City, who interacted with donors in attendance.
A unique art auction featuring pieces created by archdiocesan students was also a resounding success, netting $45,000.
Additionally, guest speaker Brianna Sampson, a 12th grader at St. Vincent Academy in Newark, shared the deeply personal story of how SFIC’s scholarship money was the lifeline that enabled her to continue receiving a Catholic education when her mother’s breast cancer treatment limited her family’s finances.
“When you donate to the Scholarship Fund for Inner-City Children, you not only provide educational opportunities for young people, you also instill belief in them,” said Sampson, who will begin studying speech-language pathology at William Patterson University this fall.
“Knowing that there are generous people who believe in me and want to support me has made all the difference. It is that belief that has kept me focused and driven while facing the most difficult challenges. I will forever be grateful for my donors and the Scholarship Fund for Inner-City Children.”
SFIC has experienced immense growth ever since celebrating its 40th anniversary last year, with an increased amount of events and outreach leading to a higher number of donations and interest.
Most recently, high school students Olivia and Ryan Mount launched a program named “Student 2 Student” that allows youth like them to contribute directly to the fund. For information on SFIC and its scholarships, click here.
In addition to Cornacchia, Auxiliary Bishop Michael A. Saporito, regional vicar of Bergen County; and Andrew P. Schafer, retired executive director of Catholic Cemeteries were also honored at the gala.
