CHARLOTTE — Six Catholic schools in the Diocese of Charlotte are receiving a total of more than $2.5 million from the “Forward in Faith, Hope, and Love” campaign for diocesan schools’ capital improvement projects.
FFHL grants for the schools are earmarked for non-routine facility improvements, with awards ranging from $12,709 to $500,000. To qualify, projects must improve security, accessibility or aesthetics or directly enhance the learning environment, noted Bill Weldon, the diocese’s chief financial officer.
“We are very pleased to be able to provide much needed funding to the recipient schools for these critical campus improvements,” Weldon said.
Schools receiving awards are:
- Asheville Catholic School – $500,000 to renovate the existing school and construct additional classroom space
- Immaculata School in Hendersonville – $500,000 to replace the fire alarm system, improve building egress, upgrade lighting and replace the HVAC systems
- Charlotte Catholic High School – $500,000 to help build the MACS Fine Arts Center and re-purpose existing classroom spaces, including physical education and art rooms
- Our Lady of Mercy School in Winston-Salem – $12,709 to replace lighting in the gym and cafeteria
- St. Ann School in Charlotte – $500,000 to relocate administrative offices and the school’s main entry
- St. Michael School in Gastonia – $500,000 to install new playground fence and make security improvements; to relocate the administrative offices and the school’s main entry; and to renovate existing restrooms
“The entire Asheville Catholic community is grateful to the Diocese of Charlotte for awarding us this opportunity through the grant we received,” said Principal Michael Miller. “We are especially grateful to all of those who donated so generously to the FFHL campaign. The gifts of all of these people made this possible.”
Miller noted that by combining the funds from the FFHL grant with challenge goal funds collected by St. Eugene Church in Asheville and savings from the school, Asheville Catholic has a total of $900,000 to put towards building additions and renovations.
“Thank you to all in the diocese who generously gave to the ‘Forward in Faith, Hope, and Love’ campaign,” Miller said.
“I can tell you that I was speechless when I received the letter announcing the grant award,” remarked St. Michael School’s Principal Sheila Levesque.
“I am so excited to share this award with our students, staff, parents and community. It is a tremendous blessing to have the ability to make the security upgrades and renovations that benefit all. This, along with other projects and fundraising efforts, will allow St. Michael School to enhance the school property, the facilities and instruction,” Levesque said.
Sister Geri Rogers, SSJ, is principal of Our Lady of Mercy School in Winston-Salem, which received a $12,709 FFHL grant.
“In 2002 the school moved from the south side of Winston-Salem into the former Bishop McGuinness High School. The building is now 60 years old,” she explained. “The current lights in the gym have often been hit during volleyball games and have been proven to be a safety hazard, as well as costly. The grant was applied for to provide a safer environment for our students and to be energy efficient. Replacing the current lights in the gym and cafeteria will provide LED lighting and help to lower expenses.”
All capital projects that receive FFHL grants must begin within two years of the grant being awarded. For projects with costs that exceed the amount of the awarded grant, the school must have the ability to raise the balance of the funds needed within two years of receiving their grant award.
“FFHL is having a significant impact on the work being done in parishes, schools and ministries across the dio-cese and will impact work done in our diocese for years to come,” said Jim Kelley, the diocese’s development di-rector.
“Funding for capital projects, like the funds being provided to these six schools, will have an impact on the educa-tion our students receive now but FFHL also provides for parishes, schools and ministries long in to the future through endowments.”
— SueAnn Howell, Senior Reporter