Dear Friends,
Every morning, like many of our staff, I drive from one of New Jersey’s urban environments to another. The drive isn’t always smooth or quick, but it reminds me why I do what I do. Urban renewal is a phrase we hear often, but through our mission and the students we’re educating, we demonstrate that revitalization is one of our goals.
As a school which prides itself on providing education based on character and capability rather than a family’s finances, we are faced with a hefty challenge. Raising $3.5 million in financial assistance money is monumental for a school our size, but it’s an important factor in doing our part in this community.
The education we’re providing here at St. Philip’s is only part of the answer in helping to transform our surroundings. We feel it every time we open our doors to new friends and members of the community who are not affiliated with our students. Programs like St. Philip’s affiliation with Horizon’s National (educational tutoring for local public school children) as well as hosting an organic farmers market and the kitchen classroom course for a home of at risk young men, are just a few of the steps we are taking to reach beyond our own walls and help the community grow together.
In my time here, I have met some incredible people, both within our beautiful building and outside, who’ve helped us get to where we are. Those who have made a gift to our community are more than just a check in the mail. The incredible individuals, foundations and corporations who join us as partners are helping us foster extraordinary futures for our students and in turn, lay the groundwork for new generations cultivated within a new Newark, New Jersey.
Eleanor Roosevelt once said “The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.” To me, these words are truly the thread of our community here at St. Philip’s. Through the work of our partners, we long to see St. Philip’s continue to reach beyond our own grasp.
Warm Regards,
Michael Eaton
Director of Development