CAMDEN (September 15, 2005) – About 200 Camden parents are recruiting friends and fellow parents in what they say is a “critical effort” to save and educate children living in the city.
Today, parents from four non-public schools serving low-income Camden City families of all languages, ethnicities, and nationalities, officially launched the Camden Parent Challenge Fund (CPCF). The Fund is organized to provide scholarships for low-income children to attend independent and parochial schools. Long-time community leaders who are organizing the Fund say these schools are necessary to preserve the future of Camden’s most valuable asset: its children.
“The violence in the city’s public schools, and the poor education of Camden’s sons and daughters has to stop,” says Rosa Ramirez, a parent leader at St. Joseph Pro-Cathedral School and a major force behind the CPCF. “Parents are investing one hundred, fifty, even twenty-five dollars—whatever they have—into this Fund to ensure that their children, and all Camden children, get the education they deserve.”
The Fund solicits donations from Camden City residents, which then challenge a wide network of philanthropic donors, including corporations, individuals and foundations, to come forward and also support the children. Fund organizers believe that donations of $25 to $100 from Camden residents, many of whom earn $15,000 or less annually, will spur individuals and corporations earning significantly more to pledge $1,000 and up. To kick-off the Fund, two major fundraisers have been planned:
- first, a Donors’ Breakfast on Saturday, September 24 at St. Joseph Pro-Cathedral School in Camden City from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. Representatives from businesses, corporations and foundations from Camden City and the surrounding areas are expected to attend;
- second, a Parent Dance on October 15 at 8:00 p.m. at the Fraternal Order of Police, 1137 Federal Street, in Camden City.
All proceeds will benefit low-income Camden children through the Fund. “Our hope is that the day is coming when our success will be modeled and replicated in other New Jersey cities where families are crying out for safe, effective schools for their children,” Ramirez added.
Parent leaders in four inner city non-public schools in Camden (San Miguel, Holy Name, St. Joseph Pro-Cathedral) and St. Cecilia in Pennsauken mobilized to get the Fund off the ground. The Camden Parent Challenge Fund is sponsored and administered by the International Education Foundation (IEF), a New Jersey non-profit organization that has historically provided scholarships for low-income families in Southern New Jersey. The Fund has been initially capitalized by parent contributions, organizational donations, and philanthropists Robert Healey and his daughter, Christine Healey deVaull, who oversees the operation of IEF.
“I invite all Camden, and New Jersey, businesses to help these parents. Their children represent Camden’s future, and the future will not be realized without quality education,” says deVaull. The Fund has already collected over $7,000, from approximately 200 parent donations ranging from $5 to $1,000. “We want to show our elected leaders and others that the people of Camden City are willing to sacrifice greatly to secure the education of their children,” explained Ramirez.
Camden residents and others who wish to donate or pledge to the Fund are invited to call Rosa Ramirez at 856.964.4336, ext. 504.