The nonprofit Bridge Educational Foundation was at Archbishop Ryan last week, presenting a check for $481,250 in scholarship money to a number of tuition-based schools.
Harrisburg-based Bridge was represented by executive director Natalie Nutt and Kelly Gerdes, director of scholarship programs. The foundation raises funds through the state Educational Improvement Tax Credit and Opportunity Scholarship Tax Credit programs. Businesses receive tax credits for donations to scholarship organizations like Bridge.
The money presented at the Oct. 14 event is thanks to WM (formerly Waste Management), Vanguard, Malady & Wooten and Raymond James.
WM’s Judy Archibald and Dave Eckhart, of Raymond James, were in attendance.
Elected officials on hand were state Sen. Tina Tartaglione and Reps. Martina White, Ed Neilson, Sean Dougherty, Pat Gallagher and Rick Krajewski.
Aides to state Sens. Joe Picozzi and Anthony Williams were at the ceremony, and Nutt thanked them for their support of the EITC and their expected “no” votes on House Bill 2632, which Bridge believes would replace the EITC with another program that would not be as beneficial to business donors, scholarship families, non-public schools and scholarship organizations.
Nutt said the private-public partnership has been a great success, enabling businesses to donate money to improve the education of young people who are the future workforce.
“The EITC program makes that happen,” she said.
Schools represented at the presentation were Archbishop Ryan, St. Hubert, Nazareth Academy and Neumann-Goretti high schools; Christ the King, St. Anselm, St. Cecilia, St. Katherine of Siena, St. Martha, Visitation BVM and Gesu elementary schools; All Saints Episcopal Day School; Federation Early Learning Services; Kencrest Early Learning Center; St. Lucy School for Children with Visual Impairments; Community Partnership; Cornerstone Christian; and Greene Street Friends.
Ryan president Joe Sanginiti is grateful for Bridge.
“We don’t do what we do without you,” he said. “Our families need your organization.” ••
