Uvalde families grieve for loved ones.Photo: Brandon Bell/Getty Images
Catholic Extension, a Chicago-based nonprofit, made the announcement August 15, the first day of school at Sacred Heart Catholic School.
“Catholic Extension is committed to the ongoing care and support for the children and families of Uvalde,” Father Jack Wall, president of Catholic Extension, said in a statement. “It is our belief that awarding scholarships to Sacred Heart Catholic School will provide a safe and loving educational environment to children who are suffering from the physical and emotional wounds of violence.”
According to Catholic Extension, more than 80 children in Uvalde are seeking to transfer to Sacred Heart, the organization wrote onFacebook, “to help begin their healing and overcome trauma.”
“Eleven of these children were shot and survived. Most families cannot afford tuition — 80 percent of families with school-age children in Uvalde are classified as low-income,” the nonprofit wrote.
Uvalde Mayor Don McLaughlin visits the memorial for the victims of the Robb Elementary School shooting.Joshua Lott/The Washington Post via Getty Images
The organization and the community started supporting the students before the school year began.
Last week at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, top-tier hairstylists and massage therapists who traveled from the New York City area set up shop, providing haircuts and massages to students, parents and teachers free of charge.
Luis Burgos, founder of the nonprofitDon’t Forget About Me, organized the event.
Michael Cirlos
Over the summer, Catholic Extension sponsored Camp I-CAN, which provided third-, fourth- and fifth-graders “a safe space to heal, have fun, and gently reintegrated the children into a school-like setting around their peers,” according to the organization’swebsite.
Catholic Extension is matching every gift to its growingscholarship fund.
source: people.com
