Feature story (September 2024)
by Kristine Rilling
09/06/2024
Did you know all Pennsylvanians can now ask to have their tax dollars redirected to support Catholic schools? A new partnership in the Diocese of Erie is making it easy and affordable.
“I believe in Catholic education,” says Beth Roy, a mother of five children attending DuBois Central Catholic, DuBois. “When my husband, Chad, and I married, we vowed to send our kids to Catholic school. Without the benefit of receiving scholarship funds, it would have been difficult.”
For many families like the Roys, receiving a scholarship or financial aid makes affording Catholic education possible. Thanks to a new partnership between the Diocese of Erie and RedefinED, millions of tax dollars are redirected to support Catholic schools in northwest Pennsylvania. Previously limited to companies, all tax-paying citizens of Pennsylvania can now redirect their tax dollars to support Catholic schools.
The partnership with RedefinED makes it easy: the company handles all the paperwork for participants, who simply include it with their taxes. Individual tax information is never shared with RedefinED.
Alyse Maslonik, a former Catholic school scholarship recipient, felt a calling to create a company that could make financial support for faith-based education accessible to all. She answered that call by founding RedefinED Advisors LLC.
Maslonik was driven to use her expertise in finance and passion for Catholic education to create an organization that raises awareness, secures funding and creates pathways for children to receive scholarships through the Educational Improvement Tax Credit (EITC) program.
The EITC program allows businesses and individuals to direct their PA state income tax to Catholic school scholarships. The impact donors are making is significant, immediate and making a difference in their communities.
At RedefinED, expert employees guide their partners in navigating the EITC program, facilitating donations through a simple process. This critical step — simplifying the process for those who want to redirect their PA taxes in support of Catholic education — has made all the difference to provide life-changing opportunities.
“In just over two years, we have impacted over 17,000 students,” Maslonik says. “We are maximizing EITC funds and it is quickly becoming a game changer for sustainability, leveraging every financial benefit, providing needed aid to our families.”
Following RedefinED’s three simple steps, supporters of Catholic education sign a prepared pledge form and designate the amount of their PA state income taxes to a Catholic school they choose. Then they receive a 90 percent tax credit for the contribution made.
“A Catholic education provides all the right gifts to help guide our children forward,” Roy says. “My son is discerning the priesthood right now. That’s a gift. God always leads the way.”
Contributing to RedefinED is an incredible way for individuals to support their children, grandchildren or even the kids in their neighborhoods. All that is needed is a desire to help build this community that lives, works and prays together.
“I am confident this program will help strengthen our schools and help take some of the pressure off of our parishes,” says Jim Gallagher, superintendent of Catholic schools in the Diocese of Erie. “I encourage all of our schools to engage with RedefinED to ensure that we of fer the most opportunities that we can to support our Catholic school systems, their students and families.”
Roy adds, “My husband and I work hard to keep a roof over our heads. If it wasn’t for the generosity of donors, a Catholic education wouldn’t be possible. I am grateful for the support for families that need the help.”
For more information or to contribute to the EITC tax credit funds, please call your local Catholic school or visit RedefinED at https://redefiningeducation.org/donors.
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