DIOCESE—”Empower Illinois ... let me know that we are $50,000 short of exceeding our fundraising from last year for the Invest In Kids Scholarship program,” said Elizabeth Heitkamp on Nov. 17. “We need to have donations committed by Nov. 30 to count for and get used for this year’s students.”

 

Heitkamp is an assistant superintendent of Catholic schools in the Rockford Diocese who is leading the Freeport Aquin Schools this year.

 

In the Rockford Diocese, 86 students receive Empower Illinois scholarships with 1,075 still waiting to be funded, she said. 

 

“Any size donation is appreciated and used to give students access to an excellent Catholic education,” she added.

 

Empower Illinois is a statewide scholarship granting organization created in 2017 to serve Illinois children through the state’s tax credit scholarship program known as Invest in Kids. 

 

Invest in Kids Act is a five year pilot program that allows income tax credits for Illinois taxpayers who make authorized contributions to a scholarship granting organization (SGO). The SGOs, in turn, provide scholarships for eligible Illinois students to attend qualified, non-public schools in Illinois.

 

The program helps children whose educational options are limited by household income. 

 

Donors should go to the Empower Illinois website for specific instructions on how to make a donation. 

Info: Empowerillinois.org