Local Catholic school students needing a little help with school supplies are getting a boost to start the school year off right thanks to a generous donation from Franciscan Health Dyer and Franciscan Health Munster.
The Mission Committee of the two hospitals hosted a school supply and cereal drive in July aimed at assisting local Catholic school students in need. Franciscan Health employees and members of the public donated backpacks, school supplies and boxes of dry cereal for breakfasts before school to benefit the students.
The donations – which filled two vans — will benefit Catholic school K-12 students attending St. John Bosco School in Hammond, St. Casimir School in Hammond, St. Stanislaus School in East Chicago, Bishop Noll Institute in Hammond and St. Thomas More School in Munster.
Kevin Driscoll, director of mission and ministry at Bishop Noll Institute, said the donations represent a shared mission between Franciscan Alliance and the Catholic schools of the Diocese of Gary to care for the communities they serve.
“We have a number of families that work hard to make ends meet,” Driscoll said. “This will benefit those who may need to sacrifice to provide their children with the tools they need for school and the kids ultimately benefit in the end. We’re incredibly grateful to Franciscan Alliance for recognizing the needs of those in our communities.”
The Rev. Francis S. Tebbe, O.F.M., priest-chaplain at Franciscan Health Munster, offered a prayer of blessing for the school supplies and the students who will receive them while thanking the Franciscan employees who provided donations to make it possible.
“We give you thanks for the children who will receive these school supplies and we ask you to bless them with curiosity, understanding and respect,” Tebbe said. “May their backpacks be a sign to them that they have everything they need to learn and grow this school year.”