Mercy Vocational High School is pleased to announce that the Maguire Educational Foundation has generously issued a $1 million Challenge. This grant will be used by Mercy Vocational High School to grow its endowment and thus ensure the sustainability of the nation’s only private, co-educational Catholic vocational high school.

James J. and Frances M. Maguire, Founders and Directors of the Maguire Educational Foundation, will gift $1 million to Mercy Vocational High School if we can raise an additional $1 million by Dec 31, 2009. Qualifying gifts must be at least $25,000 or more. All pledges must be fulfilled on or before December 31, 2011.

In order to accommodate donors who want to participate but are unable to meet the $25,000 threshold individually, Lori Ross, Board Member, and Catherine Glatts, Advancement Committee Member and current faculty member, with the approval of The Maguire Foundation, created Kate’s Krew. Kate’s Krew is one “pot” in which we can accumulate checks/pledges that are not at the $25,000 level but are significant and will add up to at least $25,000.

Mercy Vocational High School invites you to visit the school and learn more about how you can invest in students and launch their careers. Please join us at one of three Career Showcases schedule in 2009:

For more information please contact Linda Leighbody, Director of Advancement, 215.226.1225, x 146 or lleighbody@mercyvhs.org

Mercy Vocational High School has embarked on a one year, $1 million major gift initiative in response to a November 18, 2008 challenge grant from the Maguire Education Foundation.

James J. and Frances M. Maguire, Founders and Directors of the Maguire Educational Foundation, will gift $1 million to Mercy Vocational High School if it can raise an additional $1 million.

This grant will be used by Mercy Vocational High School to grow its endowment and thus ensure the sustainability of the nation’s only private, co-educational Catholic vocational high school.

All pledges must be secured by December 31, 2009. Qualifying gifts must be at least $25,000 or more. All pledges must be fulfilled on or before December 31, 2011.

Gifts will be solicited from individuals and entities, including groups of individuals whose total giving will equal $25,000 or more.

The $2 million that will be raised in response to the Maguire Challenge will impact part of the goal of adding $10M to Mercy’s endowment but it is just the beginning of what we have to accomplish in the next five years.

By growing its endowment from its present value of about $10 million to $20 million, Mercy Vocational High School can emerge as the leader of a North Philadelphia youth empowerment zone that will be focused on education, employment and empowerment.