Kids craft holiday cards to thank Cardinal Tobin for scholarships

Children benefiting from the Archdiocese of Newark’s “We Are Living Stones” Catholic Tuition Assistance Program shared their gratitude this holiday season by creating Thanksgiving cards for Cardinal Joseph W. Tobin, C.Ss.R., Archbishop of Newark.

The K-8 students — whose families received $1,500 in partial tuition assistance scholarships to attend archdiocesan Catholic schools in Newark, Jersey City, East Orange, Union, and Fairview — created colorful seasonal cards with handwritten notes of appreciation. Some students expressed their favorite aspects of school; others wished Cardinal Tobin and his family a blessed holiday. They all shared one common theme, however — gratitude for the chance to pursue a Catholic education.

Here are some of the messages:

“You have been so kind and generous to my family. I can never thank you enough for all that you do for the children. I hope you eat lots of turkey and have a wonderful Thanksgiving.”
– Anderson, grade 7

I am so thankful for all you do to help my family. You are the best!”
-Evelyn, grade 1

“Thank you for helping me achieve a great education, which allows me to grow in faith and knowledge. I’ve learned so much from my teachers and made amazing memories with my friends. I’m really grateful for all the support and kindness I’ve received here.”
– Samantha, grade 6

Thank you so much for thinking about someone like me. It makes my heart happy! I want to take this moment to wish you a happy Thanksgiving filled with yummy food and family fun.”
– Tiffany, grade 4

“I pray you and your family have the greatest of holidays this year. I want to take a moment to thank you for all your help with funding my education. This is truly a blessing.”
– Dylan, grade 5

I feel very thankful to be able to go to my school where I can learn, make friends and pray. I pray for you and your family, and I hope you have a very happy and blessed Thanksgiving!”
– Christopher, grade 3

The “We Are Living Stones” Catholic Tuition Assistance Program is a needs-based tuition assistance initiative funded by the Archdiocese and facilitated through the Scholarship Fund for Inner-City Children (SFIC). SFIC scholarships are made possible by the generous contributions of donors who wish to invest in the future of economically disadvantaged children living in neighboring communities. To donate or learn more about SFIC, visit www.sficnj.org.

To view a selection of Thanksgiving cards, click HERE.

Photos by Archdiocese of Newark/Shania Mosquera and Elena Torres