Diocese boosts tuition assistance

In its ongoing effort to make Catholic school education more accessible, the Diocese of Albany's School Board has announced that help for families in need will increase this year.

The assistance comes from the Ken and Thelma Lally Tuition Assistance Fund, which was made possible through the generosity of two parishioners from St. Helen's Church in Schenectady. Their gift was part of the 2001 Diocesan Capital Campaign.

Last year, approximately 1,100 applications were submitted, and nearly $80,000 was distributed among 200 families. For the 2003-'04, $120,000 will be disseminated.

"We are thrilled that additional financial resources have been made available to our families," said Sister Mary Jane Herb, IHM, diocesan superintendent. "We realize that the cost of a Catholic education can be a substantial sacrifice for many of our families, and the Lally Tuition Fund is a blessing for many."

Acknowledging that it can be financially overwhelming to have more than one child attend parochial school, Sister Jane said, "It is our hope that we will continue to grow the fund annually in order to continue to help as many families as possible."

Eligible families must have one or more students already enrolled in a Catholic elementary or secondary school. The funding is separate and in addition to financial assistance already offered by individual schools.

The application deadline is April 1; awards will be announced in May. Applications are available from Catholic schools or at www.factstuitionaid.com. For more information, call the Catholic School Office, 453-6666.

There are 38 diocesan elementary schools and seven high schools in the Albany Diocese. The total enrollment is 11,227.

(3/20/03) [[In-content Ad]]