March 18, 2009

Despite lean economic times, Seeds of Hope trust helps needy students

By John Gleason

The saying goes, “When times get tough, the tough get going.”  That’s certainly the case for Seeds of Hope Charitable Trust, who despite challenging economic times, continues to help needy children get an otherwise unattainable Catholic education.

Recently, Seeds of Hope completed a 100-day campaign and raised $1.1 million in pledges to support their valuable mission.

Since 1996, through Seeds of Hope, thousands of children have reaped the benefits of a Catholic education via tuition assistance grants and inner-city parochial schools have received operating support and grants for programs and technology.

On March 13, more than 325 donors and friends of Seeds of Hope gathered to hear stories of success from students and teachers at the organization’s annual Hope Springs Eternal luncheon.

At the event, Jesus Apodaca, 13, an eighth-grader at Annunciation School and Luz Granillo, 10, a fifth-grader at St. Rose of Lima School, spoke about what attending a Catholic school means to them.

“The teachers keep you on track,” Apodaca told the audience gathered at the Hyatt Regency Tech Center.  “We learn more than just reading and writing.  We learn respect.”

Granillo, who is in her first year attending a Catholic school, echoed Apodaca’s words and said she can’t imagine attending any other school.

“I’ve learned so much and made many friends,” Granillo said. “I want to thank my mom for sending me (to St. Rose).”

Annunciation Principal Sister Jean Panisko, S.C.L., told the Denver Catholic Register that many parents dig deep to make sure their children get a Catholic education.

“These families sacrifice a great deal and pay what they can,” she said. “In most cases it’s a large percentage of what they earn.  Now many of these families are seeing one of the parents out of work as a result of the downturn in the economy.  If it weren’t for Seeds of Hope, the children would be attending another school.”

At St. Rose of Lima School, where close to 90 percent of the students receive help from Seeds of Hope, Principal Jeannie Courchene pointed to graduation rates as proof of the success inner-city Catholic schools are having with high risk students.

“More than 98 percent of our graduating eighth-graders went on to graduate from high school,” she said.  “Our mission is to serve the poor and the marginalized to see that these children get their fair chance.   We have to keep the schools in the inner city open so that these children have the opportunity to obtain a Catholic school education.”

Keeping low-income students in Catholic schools takes money.  In tough economic times the ability to help keep the doors open to such students is even more of a challenge, but it’s one Seeds of Hope officials are committed to.

Speaking of the impressive figure of $1.1 million raised during the 100-day fundraising campaign, outgoing Seeds of Hope Chairman John Harpole said the truest success of the campaign isn’t measured in terms of money.

“I think we get caught up in numbers and how much money we might have,” he told the Denver Catholic Register, “or how many kids can we afford to send to school this year.  But I think it’s important to focus on the impact we have on families.”

For many of the students, the Catholic school affirms the life lessons they learn from their parents, emphasized Harpole.  And if the child is from a single-parent home, that support is even more vital.

“I believe it removes a lot of kids from a half-lost world to a world where they can practice their Catholic faith and be the kind of Catholics we all hope they’ll become one day,” he said.

Catholic schools complement the irreplaceable role of parents, Harpole said, adding that they help form people who will evangelize the culture and serve the common good.

Harpole, who will turn over chairmanship of the Seeds of Hope board to Robert Lemming this week, said the current economic crisis has impacted the organization in two ways: an increase in the number of requests for assistance and a less than stellar performance in the trust’s investments.  Harpole said that now, more than ever, is when the organization needs donors to come forward.

“People have to step up above and beyond where they have in the past because of the impact the economy’s had on our endowment,” he said.  

For those who support Seeds of Hope’s mission, nothing expresses gratitude better than hearing how Catholic education can make such a difference in a child’s life.

“Because I attend Annunciation,” declared Apodaca, “I look forward to my future with hope.”