DeSales Catholic School, Lockport, NY

During the 1999-2000 school year, the DeSales Education Council established a Development Department to strengthen the fund raising, marketing and alumni relations efforts at DeSales.

The development staff strives to promote our school's mission and to build a sense of community with our friends and alumni. This helps us to raise the funds needed to keep tuition at an affordable level for all of our students, to maintain and improve our facility, and to provide educational programs the school could not otherwise offer. This is accomplished through our Annual Fund Campaign, fundraising events, solicitation of testamentary and planned gifts, and public and private grant applications.

The Annual Fund is the cornerstone of these fundraising efforts. Each year DeSales Catholic School makes an appeal for financial support to all alumni, parents, past parents, grandparents, and friends. The DeSales family is very generous in its support of the Annual Fund campaign. To all who give so generously, we say a very heartfelt thank you! Your participation does make a difference and helps ensure the excellence of a DeSales education. Thank you!

The marketing efforts of the Development office allow us to share our mission with our alumni and members of the local community. Publicity and advertising are also used to communicate the benefits of Catholic education and help to keep enrollment strong at DeSales. Class reunions and special events, such as our Alumni Basketball Tournament, work to strengthen the connection with our DeSales High School, Lockport Catholic School and DeSales Catholic School graduates.

If you have questions or comments for the Development staff please contact us at (716) 433-4870. Our fax number is (716) 433-4358.

DeSales Catholic School Giving Opportunities

There are several ways you can support the mission of DeSales Catholic School. Unrestricted contributions or restricted donations for a specific area of interest or can be made through the Growing In Faith Campaign, Annual Fund Campaign, Bequests, Memorial Gifts, Matching Gifts, In-Kind Gifts and Fundraising Events.

The Growing In Faith Campaign is the 2005 capital fundraising campaign established to provide additional classroom space at DeSales, and provide the school with a Chapel and an outdoor gathering space. Donors to this campaign honored a friends and family members with one of several naming opportunities. Growing In Faith pledges will continue to be fulfilled through 2010.

Gifts to the Annual Fund Campaign constitute the most important source of donated funds available to DeSales as we work to supplement the school's budget each year. The unrestricted nature of Annual Giving provides the administration with flexibility to meet the areas of highest institutional need..

Bequests: You might want to join our many friends who have helped DeSales with gifts made through wills, also known as testamentary gifts, or living trusts. You could choose to make a gift that reserves lifetime income to you or a family member. Gifts made through your will can take a variety of forms, or you could name DeSales as the beneficiary of a life insurance policy or bank account. Careful planning is essential, and we would be happy to talk over all the possibilities with you and your advisors.

Memorial Gifts: You can make a gift that will stand as a memorial to a loved one and at the same time advance our school's mission in a meaningful way. How you decide to honor this special person is up to you. Possibilities include immediate gifts of cash or stocks, bequests from wills or living trusts, and gifts from which you or family members keep lifetime benefits.

Matching Gifts: Double your dollars to DeSales through your employer's matching gift program. Many companies have a program in place to match some or all of their employee's charitable gifts. Check with your payroll or human resources office for matching gift eligibilty and forms.

In-Kind Gifts: Businesses and individuals can give gifts of equipment, inventory, materials and services. Not only do you support education, but you can receive tax deductions as well.

Fundraising Events: Each year DeSales sponsors activities and holds special events to raise funds for our school. They include: