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Alumni News
Tax Credit Scholarships Continue to Assist Families at Saint Viator
The Tax Credit Scholarship Program, also known as the Invest in Kids Act, is now in its fifth year in the State of Illinois. This innovative program allows qualifying families to attend the private school of their choice by providing scholarships to families in need. This includes providing opportunities to assist families who would otherwise be unable to afford Saint Viator High School.
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The annual cap for tax credit scholarship donations across Illinois is $100 million. That is a large number, but also one that represents great opportunity for many families in need, and for generous benefactors that want to utilize a strategy to make a greater difference for Saint Viator. Your donation to the Tax Credit Scholarship Program provides the opportunity to make a difference for just $.25 on each dollar donated.
HERE’S HOW IT WORKS:
means it only costs $0.25 to donate $1.00. Placing this under the Saint Viator lens, it will cost $180,000 to fund $720,000 in Tax Credit Scholarships. Consider the figures below.
Currently, Saint Viator has 60 families that have filed a Tax Credit Scholarship application, and been approved to be placed on our waiting list. The average scholarship our families have been approved to receive is $12,000 which means families in our school are receiving scholarships totaling $720,000.
The Tax Credit Scholarship Program is one of many strategies that are available to our alumni, parents and friends to support Saint Viator High School. For more information on this program, we invite you to visit www.empowerillinois.org or www. bigshouldersfund.org. When making a Tax Credit Scholarship donation, we encourage you to designate your gift to Saint Viator High School.
Thanks to the Invest in Kids Act Tax Credit Scholarship Program you can receive a 75% tax credit toward your Illinois state income tax on every donation you make. In simple terms, that For more information on making donations to Saint Viator High School, please visit www.saintviator.com/giving.
Celebrate 60 Hours for 60 Years
As part of our 60th anniversary celebration, we invite you to participate in our 60 Hours for 60 Years campaign on March 3-5. This important initiative will strengthen our Tuition Assistance program, making a Saint Viator education more accessible to all who seek it.
• Raffle - Grand Prize of free tuition for 1 student for 2022-23 school year or $10,000. • Online auction - Bid on a wide range of unique and exciting gifts and experiences. • Donate through our online Paddle Raise. • Video tribute featuring some very special people from our history.
In the weeks leading up to 60 Hours for 60 Years, we’ll be sharing memories from each decade of our existence including photos and fun facts on social media and at www.saintviator.com/60For60.
Get in on the fun and help us honor our Proud Past while ensuring a Strong Future.
Giving the Gift of Life—A Lion for Life
Just over a year ago, a proud Saint Viator alumnus, Gene Dougherty ’71, was informed that he would need a new kidney. For those of you who have had a loved one in need of an organ donation, you know how difficult, and long, of a process it can be. Gene’s family began advocating for Gene immediately.
Soon, the men that Gene spent four years with at Saint Viator along with many other members of the Sacred Heart of Mary and Saint Viator alumni community joined in the effort.
A group from the Class of 1971 and their spouses agreed to be tested, and it was found that Barb Gallagher, wife of Tom Gallagher ’71, was a perfect match. Barb agreed to donate her kidney to Gene.
Normally an individual could spend seven to ten years on dialysis awaiting a kidney, but thanks to Barb, that was not the case for Gene.
The surgery for both of them went well, and Gene was able to take full part in the Class of 1971 50th Reunion festivities this fall thanks to this gift of life. At the reunion banquet (pictured above) with members of the Class of 1971 from both Saint Viator and Sacred Heart of Mary present, Fr. Dan Lydon, CSV ’73 made the following presentation:
“On behalf of the Board of Governors, the Board of Trustees and the Administration of Saint Viator High School, we would like to present Barb Gallagher with this Honorary Diploma. This certificate reads:
Gene Dougherty ’71 in his senior yearbook photo.
Barbara Gallagher has shown the courage of a Lion in providing the gift of life to one of Saint Viator’s favorite sons. For her example of living our mission, vision and values, we award this honorary diploma making Barbara a true Lion for Life.”
