Giving
Each and every contribution of time, talent, and treasures helps ensure a lasting legacy for Pacelli Catholic Schools in our community, enabling us to continue supporting the academic excellence and faith development for our students.
Generous donations from parents, grandparents, alumni, parishioners, faculty and staff, friends, and supporters allow us to strengthen our academic and extracurricular opportunities and sustain competitive tuition rates, keeping Catholic education affordable and attainable for every family.
In order to keep that promise to our families, Pacelli Catholic Schools sets tuition below the cost of educating each student. Philanthropic contributions, coupled with support from our parishes, make a significant impact in our schools and help to bridge the gap between tuition and the actual cost to educate.
That’s where you come in. Whether you donate to the annual fund, attend Panacea or the Cardinal Crusade, sponsor an event, contribute to athletics, support capital needs, each gift makes a difference in the lives of the nearly 800 children we serve each year through our childcare, preschool, and K-12 education. We hope that you will participate in the many giving opportunities and become part of the longstanding tradition of Catholic education in our community.
HOW TO GIVE
- Donate Online: Online donations are quick and easy, allowing you to designate a special purpose for your gift (ex: annual fund, memorial donation, athletics, etc.)
- Mail Your Donation: If you prefer a more traditional option, donations can be mailed to Pacelli Catholic Schools, Attn: Development, 1301 Maria Drive, Stevens Point, WI 54481. You can enclose a note or simply write on the memo line the purpose for your gift.
giving opportunities
The Pacelli Annual Fund
The Pacelli Annual Fund is Pacelli Catholic Schools’ main fundraising initiative. Participation in the Pacelli Annual Fund by current parents, alumni, alumni parents, grandparents, local businesses, corporations, and friends of PCS ensures our continued health and vitality.
A gift to The Pacelli Annual Fund directly and immediately benefits students, teachers, and staff at our schools. As a supporter, you help fund things like curriculum, technology, and staff professional development.
Planned Giving
Planned giving creates a legacy that will benefit future generations of students. Planned gifts help ensure that the educational and spiritual mission of Pacelli Catholic Schools will live on forever. An excellent way for you to support Pacelli Catholic Schools’ mission is to leave us a bequest in your will or living trust. One significant benefit of making a gift by bequest is that it allows you to continue to use the property you will leave to charity during your life. Another benefit is that you are able to leave a lasting legacy.
Pacelli Education Foundation
In 1975, alumni and friends of Pacelli Catholic High School, with the support of local parishes, organized the Pacelli Education Foundation for the benefit of Pacelli Catholic Schools. The principal funds of the Foundation were and are intended to be a permanent, perpetual investment account providing income to address the financial needs of the students and the school system.
There are many ways to give directly to the Foundation. Gifts can be made during your lifetime or in memory of loved ones. Planning giving through estate planning, in wills or trusts, partial or full beneficiary designations on life insurance policies or investment accounts are a great way to leave your legacy and bless the lives of future generations. You can also make a tax deductible check out to Pacelli Education Foundation and send to Pacelli Catholic Schools, ATTN: Foundation, 1301 Maria Drive, Stevens Point, WI 54481.
Support Student Scholarships
Scholarships and tuition assistance funds are, in many families’ case, the means by which they fund a Catholic education for their children. At Pacelli Catholic Schools, we believe that finances should never be a barrier to affording a Catholic education for any family.
In today’s world, with rising tuition costs and a higher cost of living, the need to build a greater fund balance in our pool of scholarships and tuition assistance funds is crucial. Plus, as a donor, it gives you the opportunity to recognize things like academic achievement, community service and engagement, leadership skills, and other defining characteristics our students exhibit.
There are three primary ways to establish a scholarship or tuition assistance fund at Pacelli Catholic Schools:
- Give an annual gift by January 15th to be awarded, in full, to scholarship recipient(s) for the following school year.
- Establish an endowed scholarship through the Pacelli Education Foundation where a corpus balance earns interest. With a minimum investment of $5,000, the set 5% annual disbursement establishes a $250 scholarship awarded annually, named in honor or memory of an individual(s). The bigger the investment, the greater the scholarship amount (ex: $10,000 investment results in $500 annual scholarship).
- Give to the Heart of Education Tuition Assistance Fund that provides support annually for students based on their families’ financial need.
Support & Attend Events
Panacea and the Cardinal Crusade Live Auction & Dinner are the two largest annual fundraisers conducted by Pacelli Catholic Schools, not to mention the Shredding Party held each spring. Learn more about how you can support each one by becoming a sponsor, donating an item/service, or attending.
Pacelli Athletics
Pacelli Athletics are a longstanding tradition at Pacelli Catholic Schools. The athletic facilities, especially at Pacelli Catholic High School, are in need of repair and updating and we’ve identified a number of funding needs to help continue the successful athletic tradition at Pacelli. Our funding priorities are:
- Refinishing the PCHS gym floor
- Enhancing softball practice field and adding baseball practice field at PCHS
- Gym entrance landscaping and signage updates
- Locker room refresh and bench resurfacing
- Gym roof replacement and interior block work
- New updated sideline chairs and scoring table
- LED lighting in the gym
These projects come with a total price tag of around $250,000+, depending on the scope and scale of the landscaping, signage, and locker room projects and fall outside of the annual athletics budget. The Raflik Family has stepped up to offer a $30,000 matching gift challenge in memory of the late Chet Raflik.
Chet and Darlene Raflik (center) with their grandchildren (L to R) Leah ’07, Laura ’11, Bradley ’19, Taylor ’17, Hannah ’15, Jordan ’17, Kaitlyn, & Haley ’20 after the Pacelli Cardinals won the Division 4 WIAA State Softball Tournament Championship Game in 2015. (Not Pictured: Travis ’09 and Michael.)
Other ways to support Pacelli Athletics:
additional ways to support our schools
Purchase Gift Cards
Already hitting the department or hardware stores, dining out, filling up with gas, grocery shopping, or planning a vacation? Why not earn money to support Pacelli Catholic Schools while you’re at it! PCS purchases gift cards from local and national businesses at a discount ranging from 2-20%, selling the gift cards at face value, and putting the profits towards our schools.
Employers’ Matching Gifts
Many area businesses offer their employees the opportunity to increase their contributions by matching a percentage of their financial donations, or by making a donation to an organization after a certain number of community volunteer hours have been recorded.
AmazonSmile: Shop Amazon & Give Back to Pacelli Catholic Schools
Shopping for school supplies and birthday or Christmas gifts, on Amazon? Stocking up on essentials without having to leave the comfort of your home? You can make an impact while you shop. Simply shop at AmazonSmile and AmazonSmile will donate to Pacelli Catholic Schools at no cost to you! Click here to shop.
ShopRaise: Download the ShopRaise App to Shop Your Favorite Stores
Get the ShopRaise mobile and desktop apps, use it to shop at over 1,700 participating retailers, and support Pacelli Catholic Schools!
Shop for gifts, toys, electronics, office supplies, home decor, apparel, and much more. Just be sure you’re shopping for the organization Pacelli Catholic Schools and we’ll get a kickback for all your purchases! Click here to sign up.
