June 2015
Dear Friends of Futures:
While the bitter cold of this past winter has been defrosted in our minds by the warmth of the approaching summer sun, 11,000 families seeking a Catholic education for their children are still left out in the cold because of financial need. We at Futures in Education are committed to growing our fundraising efforts, by reaching out to more supporters of Catholic education. Together we can break the cycle of poverty for many with the gift of education.
Your donations to Futures in Education impact the lives of families both today and for generations to come. I thank you for your commitment to our community and those we serve. I also ask you, as a supporter of school choice, to learn more about New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo’s Parental Choice in Education Agenda. Among the pieces of legislation the Governor is purposing, an Education Tax Credit would encourage donations to scholarship funds serving parents with children in Catholic and private schools. This would increase substantially the amount of money Futures in Education could raise and the number of scholarships we could award. In Florida, a state that adopted a similar law, what started out as a $50 million program now generates almost a half-billion dollars in scholarships for students in Catholic and other private schools in that state.
At the same time, the Governor has proposed a $500 tax credit to reimburse parents directly for their tuition payments, meaning $500 for every child a parent has enrolled in a Catholic or private school. Please speak up by signing onto www.investined.org today. This website will walk you through very simple steps to send a pre-drafted email to your state legislators.
Thank you for being committed to our mission of providing the gift of a Catholic education to all deserving students in Brooklyn and Queens. Your driving spirit has assisted us over the past years in being able to achieve the goals set before us while surpassing those accomplished in years prior.
I once again thank you and please know that you will be remembered in my prayers – please remember me in yours!
In Christ’s Peace,
Rev. Monsignor Jamie J. Gigantiello
Vicar for Development
R.C. Diocese of Brooklyn