Bridge to Tomorrow Campaign
Be the spark that keeps the All Hallows light shining – don’t let this historic institution fade into memory.
An Important Message from Ron Schutté
President of All Hallows High School
Dear Alumni and Friends,
In this season of hope and generosity, I am writing to let you know that All Hallows has entered a critical period, a time of both peril and promise. Your help is needed if we are to weather a financial storm and move on to a future filled with opportunity.
An extraordinary set of circumstances has put All Hallows in financial difficulty. We are taking multiple steps to deal with this, none more critical than the Bridge to Tomorrow fundraising campaign described in the following pages. I won’t mince words: the future of our beloved school hangs in no small part on your generosity in helping meet the goals of this campaign, which replaces and enhances our Annual Appeal.
First, some background.
Mission and History
For over 116 years, All Hallows has served as a beacon of hope, education, and faith. Founded in the spirit of Blessed Edmund Rice, our mission has remained steadfast: to educate and inspire young men—and now young women—to lead lives of purpose, faith, and service.
Our students, many of whom come from low-income backgrounds, receive a first-class education that instills not only academic excellence but also strong Catholic values. When they graduate, they carry with them learned lessons of hard work, resilience, and moral integrity.
Our commitment to providing an accessible, high-quality education has never wavered, even as the gap has grown between the tuition parents are able to afford and the true cost of educating their children.
The Challenges We Face
In recent years, multiple developments beyond our control have made our financial situation increasingly precarious. As you will read in this brochure, they include the continuing effects of the Covid epidemic, the high costs of inflation, the closing of many of our feeder Catholic grammar schools, the departure from the Bronx of numerous families, and the need to repair parts of our 95-year-old building.
Our Goals
Going forward, we know that our future must rely on a combination of innovation and philanthropy in addition to moderate increases in tuition.
On the innovation side, we are expanding our student body through coeducation. This fall, we successfully enrolled over 20 young women and in coming years expect that number to grow substantially: interest in joining next year’s freshman class has more than doubled, as has the number of applicants identifying All Hallows as their first choice. Separately, we are in advanced negotiations with a globally prominent creator of online education tools to bring Catholic religious lessons to the growing number of students around the world who are home schooled. We believe that these and other innovations will bring considerable additional revenues to All Hallows in coming years. In the near term, however, our financial needs have become urgent. In addressing them, we must rely on added generosity from those who appreciate most what an important contribution All Hallows makes to society. The Bridge to Tomorrow Campaign’s goal is to raise a minimum of $2,500,000 before year’s end. We believe that goal, while substantial, is attainable when one considers the positive role All Hallows has played in so many lives.
This brochure contains details about how you may contribute. As you consider what you may be able to give, please remember what All Hallows has meant to you over the years and please know that your willingness to support All Hallows at this critical time will be gratefully appreciated.
Thank you and God bless you.
Sincerely,
Ron Schutté ‘74 President
HOW DID WE GET HERE?
All Hallows was operating with a prudent and conservative financial management plan. Our annual year-end campaign was enough to sustain us and allow for appropriate student services.
Then there was a perfect storm
Donor Fatigue
Post COVID-19 donor fatigue in New York and nationally.
Charitable contributions fell in 2022 for the first time since the Great Recession as households adjusted their budgets to historically high inflation.
Total U.S. charitable giving declined by 3.4% to an estimated $499 billion in 2022 from around $517 billion in 2021.
Exodus from the city Building Repairs
Departure from the Bronx, families leaving to seek a safer, better life elsewhere, resulting in All Hallows losing over 70 students.
Higher costs for major building repairs and deferred maintenance needs of our aging 95-year-old building.
That’s a drop of 10.5% when adjusted for inflation — which fell to 4% in May after peaking above 9% in June 2022 , eating into consumers’ budgets and the value of their charity dollars alike.
The Bridge to Tomorrow Campaign Why This Campaign Matters
We are innovating our way out of financial pressures by launching the Bridge to Tomorrow Campaign to secure All Hallows’ future. Our goal is to raise $2.5 million to support operational needs, including providing resources for our new Coed Pillar, which aims to nurture the first female students in our school’s history.
5 Campaign Pillars with a goal of $500,000 each
By joining this campaign, you are investing in:
Tuition Assistance & Student Scholarships
This pillar focuses on making high-quality education accessible to students in the Bronx, many of whom face financial challenges. By providing tuition assistance and scholarships, All Hallows ensures that more students can enroll and succeed, regardless of their economic background. This support removes financial barriers, allowing students access to a robust, value-driven education that may otherwise be out of reach.
Faculty & Student Support Coeducation
To retain talented educators and provide students with a modern learning experience, capacity-building efforts are essential. This includes investing in staff development, creating a supportive environment for teachers to thrive and stay long-term, and ensuring classrooms have up-to-date technology and resources. This approach not only enhances the learning experience but also prepares students with relevant skills for a tech-driven world.
Expanding to a co-ed model in September 2024 allows All Hallows to broaden its reach and inclusivity by welcoming both male and female students. This initiative enables the school to serve a larger portion of the community, fostering a more diverse learning environment and extending the mission of All Hallows to support the educational needs of all qualified students.
Action Plan
Catholic Identity
Upholding Catholic identity through the spirit of Blessed Edmund Rice, the Congregation of Christian Brothers’ and the Essential Elements ensures that students receive a holistic education that nurtures their moral and spiritual growth. By integrating these values into the curriculum and daily school life, All Hallows fosters a community where students develop not only academically but also in character, aligning with the broader goals of Catholic education to create compassionate, ethically minded leaders for the future.
General Operating Support
General operating support, or unrestricted funds, is crucial for inner-city high schools such as All Hallows because it allows our leadership team the flexibility to allocate resources where they are most urgently needed.
• Flexibility to Address Immediate Needs
• Stabilizing Staffing and Retention
• Enabling Innovation and Improvement
• Supporting Students’ Non-Academic Needs
• Strengthening the School’s Financial Stability
A time of Meet Bridget Urgent Need
With rising costs and financial challenges, the future of All Hallows is at a critical juncture. To continue serving the students of New York City, we urgently seek support from donors who value Catholic education and wish to help inner-city children.
We kindly ask you to consider a substantial increase in your most recent gift. And if you have never given before, now would be the perfect time to start.
100%
Hello, I’m Bridget Mulligan, and I’m excited to share a bit about myself. I’m currently a junior at All Hallows and a student-athlete. I also serve as an ambassador and a peer leader, helping my classmates prepare for college and navigate their future.
Academically, I’m passionate about Law and Criminal Justice, which I plan to major in at college. I’m taking AP Capstone Seminar and AP African American Studies as well as honors classes in Physics and Algebra II/Trigonometry.
As a triplet with two brothers, my family dynamics can be quite busy, especially with all of us in Catholic high school at the same time. I’m incredibly grateful for the scholarship opportunity, which alleviates some financial stress and allows me to focus more on my studies and extracurricular activities.
“ “ I truly feel like All Hallows is a supportive family, and I’m excited about the journey ahead. I truly believe that I found my fit at All Hallows.
2024 Mooney Scholars
of our seniors were accepted to 4-year colleges along with $32 million in scholarships.
How to Give
SECURE ONLINE PORTAL
CONTACT
BRIAN
Tel: 718-293-4545 ext. 147 bmcginley@allhallows.org BY MAIL
To make a gift by MAIL make your check to All Hallows High School and use the envelope provided in this booklet
Make a secure online gift today by visiting: www.allhallows.org Click the Bridge to Tomorrow Campaign button on our homepage
You can also SCAN the QR Code for DIRECT ACCESS to our secure ONLINE GIVING PAGE
