Dear Friends of FACE,
As your new executive director, I’d like to introduce myself to all as someone who believes that the best investment in anyone’s life is in their education. With that being said, I have good news to share.
In celebration of the 30th anniversary of FACE this year, it is a pleasure to report that in Spring of 2008, 99% of all FACE 12th graders graduated, and of those high school seniors, 100% of them are attending two and four year universities this fall. This is not only a success story for the children of FACE, but also for each generous benefactor that supports our cause. You transform our youth through your financial help.
Results like this inspire us all to help those who need us the most. The donors of FACE abidingly understand that through Catholic education, the lives of those most needy are indeed transformed. These are the students with the potential to be future civic and church leaders, valued employees, and respected community volunteers. Their Catholic education in the Oakland Diocese makes this potential a reality.
But it’s getting more difficult for struggling families to afford this necessary and dire education. However, with the increasing cost of living in Alameda and Contra Costa counties this last year, we were able to provide more support where it was needed. Because of your help, we were able to raise our grant size to accommodate the ever increasing tuition charged by the schools our recipients attend. This year our tuition assistance increased to $1,750 for an elementary school student and $3,050 for each high school student. Your donations made it possible for FACE to continue supporting nearly 1,000 students this school year.
Thank you on behalf of all FACE recipients!
As we enter another school year, we see incremental challenges with our families that we support. The mission of FACE is to serve low-income children from kindergarten through high school graduation. It is this commitment we have to our families that allows us to bear witness to the success of the program that was founded thirty years ago. As the waiting list and financial need continue to grow, we will facilitate a deeper awareness of our Foundation’s work to a wider group of donors through our annual auction and appeals. And with this, we will strengthen our important relationships with existing donors.
We need your help. I’d like to invite all benefactors to give everyone they know the opportunity to participate in the success story of FACE. Please tell a friend about the FACE tuition assistance program. I encourage all to witness the energizing endeavor of attending a school tour. Please invite your friends and colleagues to attend the upcoming FACE auction dinner on March 28th, 2009 at the Greek Cathedral in Oakland and personally shake hands with the FACE students you support. Or, you can give $1750 and provide a full tuition grant to a FACE student whose life has exponentially more potential due to the power of a Catholic education… for it is in giving that we truly receive.
Sincerely yours in Christ,
Krista Rosa Brennan, FACE Executive Director
