Katie McAnany is a pediatrician at Children's Mercy and a member of the CEF Futures Leadership Council.
"Do small things with great love." Saint Mother Teresa implored her fellow sisters to acknowledge that even small acts of service are important. In our busy lives, making an impact on a large scale can appear daunting.
Enter the Catholic Education Foundation Futures Committee. These young adults have made a commitment of time, talent, and treasure in order to help children attend Catholic schools.
Whether it’s a medical bill or a lost job, sometimes families struggle to find the money for tuition to keep a child in Catholic school. Sometimes, just a couple hundred dollars is the difference that allows students to continue receiving a faith-filled education. Annually, the Futures’ goal is to raise about $45,000 to support the Guardian Angel Fund. This fund serves as an emergency pool for families in CEF’s 22 Catholic schools to keep kids in school. Since 2011, the fund has helped 219 kids with $114,591 in scholarships. This year alone, the fund served 38 students in 9 schools with $22,469 in scholarships.
The Futures realize that their support, while it may be a volunteer position, can radically impact the course of a child’s life. The benefits of Catholic education are countless, including more personalized attention, prayer in the classroom, a sense of community, and faith formation. Ultimately, a faith-filled education can inspire a life-long relationship with Christ. Futures member Cara Haas notes that, “My Catholic education has had a large impact on developing me into the person I am today. Being a part of the CEF Futures allows me to give back to the Catholic community and help bring children to Christ.”
This year, the Catholic Education Foundation Futures committee will be hosting the 2nd annual Cocktails for a Cause event to support the Guardian Angel Fund. There will be some new features this year, including a pre-event opportunity to bid on Notre Dame vs. Michigan football tickets. There will also be several items raffled at the event, including Sporting KC tickets, Royals tickets, Kendra Scott Jewelry, wine tasting at Amigoni Urban Wine, and a J Rieger spirits basket, among others. Raffle tickets will be $10 for 1 or $25 for 3.
At the end of the day, this event may look like a social gathering, but those attending know that the impact is much greater. More than just giving a Catholic education, these scholarships give hope to families that God is good.
Cocktails for a Cause will be at Maloneys Sports Bar and Grill on June 13th at 5:30pm. Tickets are $35 and include drinks and appetizers. Tickets and sponsorship information are available here. We hope to see you there!
