Inner-City Scholarship Fund Raises $1.55M to Benefit Low Income Kids in Catholic Schools
The funds will be put towards the provision of scholarships and tuition assistance to benefit up to 9,000 low-income students attending Catholic schools in New York Archdiocese.
| 09 Dec 2024 | 12:28
Stephen J. Squeri, Chairman and CEO of American Express (right), with Cardinal Dolan (left) (
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A total of $1.55 million was raised at the Inner-City Scholarship Fund’s 47th Annual Awards Dinner at the Plaza Hotel in Manhattan on Dec. 3rd to benefit 9,000 low income students attending Catholic schools in the New York Archdiocese.
New York’s Archbishop Timothy Michael Cardinal Dolan presented the 2024 Inner-City Scholarship Fund Award to Stephen J. Squeri, the chairman and CEO of American Express for the support he’s given to Catholic school educational institutions. Squeri was recently featured by Fox5’s “Good Day New York” in a segment that highlighted the impact he’s made on Inner-City students.
“We are so grateful for the support of our honoree, Stephen Squeri, and the hundreds of wonderful New Yorkers who came out to support our efforts to provide scholarships to thousands of students,” said Jill Lloyd, Executive Director of Inner-City Scholarship Fund.
“The opportunity to receive a Catholic education provides hope for a brighter future and there are no limits to what these students can achieve.”
The funds come at a tough time for Catholic schools. The Archdiocese was forced to shut down 12 elementary schools last year and four others were merged into two schools due to declining enrollment and losses. Five of the schools that closed were in Manhattan: theAcademy of St. Paul & St. Ann on the UES; Ascension School on the UWS; Guardian Angel School in Chelsea and Immaculate Conception School in the East Village and Our Lady Queen of Martyrs, in northern Manhattan.
There were nearly 350 people in attendance at the event. The event featured remarks by Bloomberg Inc. President Peter T. Grauer, who is also Bloomberg’s Chairman Emeritus and the Inner-City Scholarship Fund President. This year’s student speaker was Rick Cordero, a former scholarship recipient, as well as an alumnus of La Salle Academy in the East Village (Class of 2024) and a student at Manhattan University (Class of 2028). Attendants also saw performances from Good Shepherd School’s choir in Upper Manhattan, as well as the NFL Players Choir.