Catholic Foundation Partnership Presents Gifts to Local Schools

This week the Catholic Foundation of South Louisiana traveled across Lafourche and Terrebonne parishes presenting several gifts to area schools to assist in purchasing supplies lost due to Hurricane Ida, uniforms for students, and to assist with any food insecurities of students. The Catholic Foundation and the Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux received grant funding from the Fore! Kids Foundation through the Bayou Community Foundation to be used to support children across the areas most impacted by Hurricane Ida.

In addition, the Catholic Community Center, through a grant from the Catholic Foundation’s Mother Theresa Women’s Giving Circle, also granted funds to several local elementary schools to help students and families purchase uniforms that may have been lost due to Ida and to purchase new winter jackets as the colder months quickly approach.

In partnership with the Lafourche Education Foundation and the Catholic Schools Office of the diocese, several schools were selected as in great need. The following schools received funding:

• Holy Rosary Elementary received $5,000 to assist with backpacks of supplies and food for any children in need, school supplies for the classrooms, as well as $2,000 for school uniforms
• Golden Meadow Middle School received $10,000 to assist with backpacks of supplies and food for any children in need, and school supplies for the classrooms
• Holy Savior Elementary received $5,500 to assist with backpacks of supplies and food for any children in need, school supplies for the classrooms, as well as $1,500 for school uniforms
• St. Mary’s Nativity received $1,000 for school uniforms for students who are in need

In partnership with the Terrebonne Foundation for Academic Excellence and the Catholic Schools Office of the diocese, several schools were selected as in great need. The following schools received funding:

• Vandebilt Catholic High School received $5,000 to assist with school supplies for the classrooms and students, as well as equipping the school with materials for a pantry on campus
• Upper Little Caillou Elementary received $5,000 to assist with school supplies for the classrooms and students
• St. Gregory Catholic Elementary received $10,000 to assist with backpacks of supplies and food for any children in need, school supplies for the classrooms, and $3,000 for school uniforms
• South Terrebonne High School received $5,000 to assist with school supplies for the classrooms and students

“We as adults are struggling through the aftermath of Hurricane Ida, and while children are resilient, they also are suffering, and we want to do what we can to bring them hope during a time of despair,” said Bishop Shelton Fabre. “The two largest ministries in our diocese are our Catholic Schools with close to 5,000 students and our parish schools of religion whose students attend local public schools. As Bishop of our diocese, it is incredibly important to me that students in both our Catholic schools and our public schools receive support in these difficult days. I am incredibly grateful for the Catholic Foundation for making these grants possible and to the generous donors of the Bayou Community Foundation, the Fore! Kids Foundation, and the Mother Teresa Women’s Giving Circle who so generously gifts us with funds to make these gifts possible.”

“It is truly a gift to be able to bless these schools with funding to assist with classroom and student supplies. This has been a difficult year for us all and we are grateful to the Bayou Community Foundation for helping us to make these gifts happen. We are one community together unified in support to make a difference in the lives of children. Thank you to all who made these gifts possible,’ said Amy Ponson, Executive Director of the Catholic Foundation.