In Sister Katie’s own words the “twin pillars” of Marillac St. Vincent are clients and staff. The Sr. Katie Endowment Fund was established to support and to build up those twin pillars. Sister Katie articulated the fund’s purpose as threefold:
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1. That it be used to assist parents with unforeseen needs;
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2. That it be used to provide funds to staff for continuing education and training;
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3. That it be used to provide special recognition.
Since beginning the Sister Katie Fund, donors have generously and enthusiastically responded to Sister Katie’s call of support for MSV’s “twin pillars” by contributing a total of over $1.3M dollars! Thanks to prudent investing our interest income has been over $360,000. Over the past twelve years, the Sister Katie Fund has been able to provide over $640,000 of support in the three areas specified by Sister Katie. Below are just a few examples of what the Fund has done for clients and staff:
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When tragedy has struck members of our client family, such as when a family lost a son to gun violence, the Fund was there to help them with the funeral costs.
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When a mother who had two children enrolled in our programs experienced a series of setbacks that led to her losing her financial aid at college, despite making all the right choices, the Fund was there to pay off the balance of her tuition, allowing her to achieve stability and focus on finishing her courses and setting herself up for a stronger future for herself and her children.
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When our own teachers and staff decide to pursue higher education and professional development opportunities to better meet the needs of our students or to do their jobs more effectively, the Fund is there to assist them with tuition for their degrees, workshops, or trainings.
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When staff achieve a milestone, or when a beloved staff member passes away as Ms. Ersilee did in 2016, or when staff receive the annual Christmas bonus, the Fund is there to demonstrate appreciation and recognize the dignity and contributions of each member of the MSV family.
With the Sister Katie Fund now beyond its $1 million dollar goal, we can ensure that the Fund extends Sister Katie’s legacy of being “always there” well into the future. Thank you to the Sister Katie Fund donors who helped us get there.
If you would like to donate to the Sister Katie Fund or view the full album of photos from the celebration on September 13, 2018, tap or click on one of the buttons below:
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