What does St. Patrick have to do with educating inner-city kids?
Sometime in the 5th century, a young Roman citizen named Patrick was captured by raiders and carried to an island far from his home. During six long years of captivity, he dreamt of returning to his family. When he finally did make it back home, however, Patrick felt called by God to return to Ireland, where he spent the rest of his days teaching people about the Catholic faith and serving them through the sacraments and acts of charity. St. Patrick’s actions would eventually transform Ireland and its people.
Knowledge of the great saint’s life is key when understanding why the Scholarship Fund for Inner-City Children (SFIC) hosts its annual Irish American Leadership Breakfast, according to Dr. Michelle L. Hartman, the Chief Executive Officer of SFIC. More than just a fundraising event, the breakfast is a reminder of how a local community can be transformed through acts of giving, just as St. Patrick’s actions changed Ireland. “Through our work supporting the Archdiocese of Newark, we try to follow in his greatness,” Hartman said.
Founded in 1983, SFIC is a non-profit organization that helps economically disadvantaged children attend private and parochial schools in the Archdiocese of Newark. Funded by donations from corporations, foundations, and individuals, SFIC has raised over 55 million dollars, enabling it to provide partial tuition assistance to more than 62,000 students. The goal is to help kids at or below the poverty line “receive a high quality, values-based education in a safe and nurturing environment.”
The program has had a positive impact on local kids and the greater community. Many aid recipients have later attended area colleges and universities, achieving academic and professional success. As adults, they help build up their communities through the values of hard work and excellence they learned in school.
The importance of faith, family, and Catholic education
This year’s breakfast, held on March 13 at the Archdiocesan Pastoral Center, raised an additional $130,000 for the scholarship fund. Bright green sweaters and ties with Celtic designs were abundant, as were Irish foods like soda bread and back bacon. There were amazing step dancers from the Emerald Isle Academy of Irish Dance, along with inspiring tunes from bagpiper Kevin Kavanaugh and fiddler Julia Hoffman of 7th House Strings.
Two Irish Americans were honored at the breakfast for their commitment to helping local children.
Honoree Barbara Dolan, the superintendent of Catholic schools for the Archdiocese of Newark, thanked the SFIC for her award and for the help they provide parents, “allowing them to provide a Catholic education to their children.”
Dolan said that from an early age, she had been taught “the importance of faith and family and of holding firm to that.” Her mother, a Catholic school teacher who was widowed at the age of 40, had made sure that each of her six children received a Catholic education. The experience “made me the person I am today.”
Brian D. McAuley, co-founder of Nextel Communications and a number of other broadband wireless companies, was also honored at the event. A longtime supporter of the SFIC, McAuley said that he had “a firm belief in education as the pathway to success.”
One particular thing he likes about the SFIC’s work and the partial scholarships they provide is how “we are partnering with the parents, having them involved with the education of their children.”
According to McAuley, the organization is making a positive impact on the greater Newark community by giving local kids a higher sense of purpose. “Without (the SFIC) where would many of these kids be?” he asked.
To learn more about the Scholarship Fund for Inner-City Children, visit their website or call 973-497-4279.
Click on the link to view photos from the Scholarship Fund’s Irish American Leadership Breakfast.
Featured image: Left to right – Step dancer from Emerald Isle Academy of Irish Dance; Honoree Barbara Dolan receives her award from James P. McTernan; Honoree Brian D. McAuley with family and friends; Fiddler Julia Hoffman performs at the breakfast. (Photos by Scholarship Fund for Inner-City Children)
