July 10, 2012 // Local

St. Mary’s Heritage Fund awards 29 grants totaling $172,920

Todays Catholic

The Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend has awarded 29 grants totaling $172,920 from the St. Mary’s Heritage Fund to various organizations from throughout the diocese, including parishes, schools and agencies. Total requests amounted to $723,930. The following were awarded grants upon the approval of Bishop Kevin C. Rhoades:

Parishes receive $20,000

• St. Anthony de Padua, South Bend  — $5,000 in school scholarships

• St. Bavo, Mishawaka — $2,500 to help Vietnamese single parents send children to Mishawaka Catholic School

• St. Joseph, Fort Wayne — $7,500 to subsidize children attending school

• St. Mary, Fort Wayne — $3,000 for Emergency Assistance Fund for Ave Maria House

• St. Monica, Mishawaka — $2,000 for tuition assistance

Schools receive $100,000

Fort Wayne:

• Bishop Luers High School — $25,000 for tuition assistance

• Queen of Angels — $5,000 for financial aid to families in need

• St. John the Baptist — $7,500 to increase number of students able to afford a Catholic education

• St. Joseph-Hessen Cassel — $2,000 for tuition assistance

• St. Therese — $7,500 for financial assistance to families in need

South Bend:

• Corpus Christi — $5,000 for tuition assistance

• Our Lady of Hungary — $7,000 for part-time resource teacher

• Our Lady of Hungary — $3,000 for part-time counselor

• Our Lady of Hungary — $3,000 for part-time aid for students in need of extra attention

• St. John the Baptist — $7,500 for financial assistance

Area:

• Mishawaka Catholic School — $10,000 for tuition assistance

• Mishawaka Catholic School — $12,500 to hire a school counselor

• St. Vincent de Paul, Elkhart — $5,000 for tuition assistance for Hispanic and minority families

Agencies receive $52,920

Fort Wayne:

• Catholic Charities — $13,000 to help alleviate hunger and food insecurity in the community providing food assistance to those in need

• Clinica Madre de Dios — $3,500 for diabetic medication and supplies for low income uninsured population

• Clinica Madre de Dios — $3,000 for lab tests, clinic supplies and equipment for the walk-in clinic

• Matthew 25 Health and Dental Clinic — $4,000 for medications for Burmese patients

• The Rose Home, Inc. — $4,920 to assist women with first two weeks expenses when entering Rose Home

• Vincent Village — $2,000 to send 10 homeless children to one-week overnight camp or day camp

• Vincent Village — $8,000 to provide supervised tutoring, educational and recreational activities for homeless children living in Vincent House or Vincent Village

South Bend:

• St. Joseph Regional Medical Center — $4,000 to provide shingles vaccination for seniors in need at the Sister Maura Brannick Health Center

• The Center for the Homeless — $3,000 for materials and equipment for advancement of the Montessoric classroom

Area:

• Hannah’s House, Mishawaka — $2,500 for group counselor services

• St. Martin Healthcare, Garrett — $5,000 to improve health and well being of patients, dental services, prescribed medications and vision services

The $3-million endowment fund was established in 1997 to help provide financial assistance to the poor and needy throughout the diocese. The St. Mary’s Parish complex was completed in October 1998 and dedicated on May 2, 1999. The St. Mary’s Heritage Fund was created through the collaboration of the late St. Mary’s pastor, Father Tom O’Connor, and parishioners using money received from fire insurance on the historic church. The St. Mary’s Heritage Fund has awarded annual grants totaling $3,577,032.88 from interest gained on the fund’s principal.