URSULINE STUDENTS RAISE MONEY - Westfair Communications

From left: Benito Ceja, Hope director, operations; Sylvia Hamer, Hope director, programming and community engagement; Catherine Fay McCarthy, director of philanthropy; Walter Ritz, executive director, Hope Community Services; and Ursuline School President Colleen Melnyk.

With the arrival of worldwide donations The Ursuline School in New Rochelle raised $168,456, surpassing its goal for its annual Crowds4tus and 4Others fundraiser.

School President Dr. Melnyk helped kick off the event, which took place April 5.

In addition to raising money for the school, for a third consecutive year, Ursuline donated part of the proceeds, more than $42,114, between two charities: HOPE Community Services of New Rochelle, the largest emergency Food Pantry and Soup Kitchen in the region, and Community Service Associates, meal program in Mount Vernon. Over the past three years, Ursuline has raised close to $95,000 for these two local organizations.

The donors not only included members of the local Ursuline community, but also alumnae and friends of Ursuline in 35 states, as well as in Scotland, Taiwan, Germany and Armed Forces Africa, Armed Forces Canada, Armed Forces Europe, and Armed Forces Middle East. With 1,019 donors, the school easily surpassed its original $125,000 goal, representing the school”™s 125th anniversary, which it is celebrating this year.

“The money we received from The Ursuline School is going straight back into the community. It will provide money to support our soup kitchen and our food pantry. We are very grateful,”™”™ said Walter Ritz, executive director of Hope Community Services.

The Ursuline School is an all-girls, Roman Catholic, independent college preparatory school, grades 6-12. It is located on a 13-acre modern campus.