Annual Fund

Photo: February 10, 2010 was our first whole-school service day, where students and faculty went offsite to serve the community. Here, SEH visits St. Martin de Porres School.

Congratulations to the families and friends of St. Elizabeth High School, who have contributed $61,710 to our Annual Fund (as of 1/27/10), compared to $48,240 at this same time last year! This 28% increase shows incredible dedication and willingness to partner with us in our mission. May God bless your generosity!

We know, in the current economic climate, that many parents who long for a Catholic education for their children are not able to provide one. Tuition at St. Elizabeth is only $9500 per year, yet on our own campus we have experienced families losing jobs or having hours cut back to the point that they can no longer afford to pay even three to four hundred dollars per month ($3,000-$4,000 per year).

The High School is not simply waiting for outside sources to help us. A Recruitment Committee, including Administration, Admissions, Faculty, and Students, is vigorously researching ways to attract more potential enrollees. The Finance Committee of the Board of Trustees is studying various tuition models, including ways to align our tuition with the lower tuition that students and families have been accustomed to paying in elementary schools. We are passionate about making St. Elizabeth High School accessible to and affordable for all who desire this education for their children.

The families who apply to St. Elizabeth are showing how whole-heartedly they do desire a St. Elizabeth education. They know that we have a nearly one hundred percent graduation rate (in the last several years, the specific percentage has been 97-99%). They are also aware of the graduation rate in the Oakland schools. (See Katy Murphy, The Oakland Tribune, April 22, 2009: the graduation rate of the public schools in Oakland is 50.5%.) These parents choose St. Elizabeth because they are choosing success for their children. It is heartbreaking to see families realize that, even with current levels of tuition assistance, which are the highest we have ever offered, they cannot afford St. Elizabeth’s.

Your generosity to the Annual Fund will provide tuition assistance to students and families in financial need, and supplement the current operating budget. Tuition assistance need this year is over a million dollars, according to Private School Aid Service. Your generosity, along with the support of several foundations and individuals, will help to meet this need.

Please consider one of our giving clubs:

Elizabethan Society……..$5,000 or more

Founders’ Club…………….$2,500 to $4,999

Principal’s Circle………….$1,000 to $2,499

Thuringian Club…………..$500 to $999

Mustang Pride........……...$100 to $499

Red and White Club……...Up to $99

Sponsor a Student

The Sponsor A Student Program is a tangible way for the greater community of Saint Elizabeth's to share in our mission by making an investment in the life of a deserving young man or woman whose financial situation might prevent them from attending the school.

For many of our families, tuition is an enormous financial burden. Many of our students would not be able to attend Saint Elizabeth High School without scholarship assistance. Make a difference in the lives of students making a difference! (click to download Sponsor A Student brochure)

THERE ARE MANY WAYS TO GIVE TO SAINT ELIZABETH HIGH SCHOOL

If you are interested in learning more about these gift opportunities, please contact the Director of Development, Constance Dalton, at (510) 532-6473. Our tax ID number is 94-1485429.

Cash

Gifts of cash are always appreciated and are tax deductible to the full extent of the law.

Stock and Securities

If you hold securities that would incur a tax on capital gains if sold, your outright gift to Saint Elizabeth High School could mean significant savings. You obtain a tax deduction for the full fair market value of the gift and may avoid a tax on the increase in value. Securities are also excellent for establishing a planned or deferred gift to Saint Elizabeth.

Matching Gifts

Many corporations have chosen this method of supporting education at the secondary level. Companies will often match or multiply gifts made by employees and sometimes spouses and retirees as well. Do you work for a matching gift company?

United Way

Saint Elizabeth High School is qualified as a recipient of United Way donations. United Way pledge forms should be completed as follows:

Agency Name: Saint Elizabeth High School Oakland CA
Address: 1530 34th Avenue, Oakland, CA 94601

Memorial Gifts

Saint Elizabeth High School gratefully recognizes gifts made in memory or in honor of a friend, family or faculty member, or to acknowledge a birthday, graduation, anniversary, or other significant event.

Gifts-in-Kind

Each year individuals and corporations donate a variety of non-cash gifts to Saint Elizabeth High School. Items such as computer equipment, electrical/building supplies, books, athletic equipment, office furniture and supplies, especially copy machine paper, as well as food and beverages and professional services, will gladly be accepted if they can be put to good use and provide clear benefits to the school.

eScrip

Students, their families, alumni, and friends can support Saint Elizabeth High School while shopping for everyday items such as groceries, gas, airline tickets, and more. Through eScrip, many vendors will donate a percentage of all your purchases back to the school. Most are aware that Safeway is involved in this program. However, other companies include OSH, Office Max, Merry Maids, Andronico’s, The Sharper Image, Big 5, Eddie Bauer, AA Airlines, and Payless Shoe Source. Proceeds from eScrip will go toward technology upgrades, new equipment, facilities improvements and other tools of education students can use every day. To participate, call 1-800-592-0942 and sign up over the phone. Or visit the eScrip Web site at www.escrip.com to register online. You may also sign up through Saint Elizabeth High School by calling the school at (510) 532-6473. To register, you need your grocery loyalty card, the Saint Elizabeth High School identification number 94-1485429 (tax ID number), and the school’s full name, Saint Elizabeth High School.

Planned Giving Opportunities

There are a variety of ways to make a planned gift to Saint Elizabeth High School that does not deplete lifetime assets and, in some cases, furnishes additional income and significant tax deductions. The following options are those you may wish to consider when making a gift to the Saint Elizabeth High School Legacy Society.

Bequests
A gift provided in your will may be a percentage of your estate, the residual of the estate, a certain item, or a specific dollar amount. Estate taxes may be reduced by a bequest to Saint Elizabeth High School.

Charitable Remainder Trust

You may establish a remainder trust that provides both a fixed or variable income for you and your family. Part of the trust qualifies for an income tax deduction and upon the death of the last beneficiary; the assets of the trust are distributed to Saint Elizabeth High School.

Charitable Lead Trust

This trust allows you to pass on assets to family members with significant estate and gift tax savings while allowing Saint Elizabeth High School to benefit from the income for the duration of the trust.

Gifts of Real Estate

A gift of real estate provides considerable tax benefits. You also have the option of retaining the right to occupy the property for life or even to receive the income it generates.

Gifts of Life Insurance and Pension Benefits

A gift of life insurance allows you to contribute to a previously acquired policy that may no longer be needed for its initial purpose and realize tax benefits. Saint Elizabeth High School may also be named beneficiary of a life insurance policy, company pension or profit-sharing plan, or of a private fund such as an IRA, Keogh, or tax-sheltered annuity.

We appreciate your interest in and support of Saint Elizabeth High School. Your attorney, accountant, or tax advisor can provide more specific information on how these ways of giving apply to your specific situation.

For additional information on making a contribution to Saint Elizabeth
High School, please contact:

Constance Dalton
Director of Development
Saint Elizabeth High School
1530 34th Ave.
Oakland, CA 94601
Direct phone (510)532-6473
email: cdalton@stliz-hs.org