LA Catholic School Students Asked To Bring $1 For Philippines Aid
LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) — Students at Catholic elementary schools in the Los Angeles Archdiocese are being asked to each bring a dollar to class Monday for Philippine relief efforts.
During "Prayers for the Philippines," school children at more than 200 Catholic elementary schools across the three-county Archdiocese will each be asked to donate at least $1 and pray at school one day of the week through Nov. 22.
An anonymous donor, who has contributed in the past to the Archdiocese's fundraisers for emergency aid in Haiti and Japan, has pledged to match each dollar raised up to $100,000. One hundred percent of all funds will be wired to the Philippines on Dec. 5, according to Archdiocese director Monica Valencia.
Kevin Baxter, the superintendent of the Archdiocese elementary schools, told KNX 1070 NEWSRADIO the effort is aimed at not only helping those in need, but also teaching the Archdiocese's 53,000 elementary students what it means to give back.
Superintendent Kevin Baxter
"Tying this to prayer is an important piece of it, and then obviously being able to leverage the number of students that we have, we can make a significant impact with people suffering in the Philippines," Baxter said.
The fundraiser is being organized by the Archdiocese of Los Angeles-Missionary Childhood Association "Children helping Children" program.
Donations can also be made through Nov. 29 with a check payable to "Missionary Childhood Association-Philippines Fund" and mailed to: Missionary Childhood Association, Attn: Msgr. Terrance Fleming, 3424 Wilshire Boulevard – 3rd Floor, Los Angeles, CA 90010.
Officials say there at least 3,976 confirmed deaths and nearly 1,600 people still missing in the wake of Typhoon Haiyan after it struck the Leyte and Samar islands on Nov. 8.
