St. Rita School for the Deaf exceeds campaign goal

St. Rita School for the Deaf raised more than $100,000 in its first-ever all-digital Community Challenge this year. 

Every dollar donated to St. Rita goes to tuition assistance — more than 40 percent of its students live below the poverty line, but 100 percent of them need help in some way. 

“We never turn a child away because of a family’s inability to pay,” says Julie O’Meara, director of advancement. “Every child receives the quality education they deserve.”

So the school sought to raise as much money as possible to help students in need and their families. 

Local businessman Rob Hollaender initially donated $32,500, the equivalent of one year’s tuition for one student, to the campaign and asked the community to match his contribution.  

More than $100,000 was collected in response to the school’s campaign. Individual donors contributed a total of $20,902, while an additional $80,000 was received from two anonymous donors, one from the local Cincinnati area and one from out-of-state, for general operating costs. 

St. Rita is one of only a few schools in the country to provide assistance for the deaf and hard of hearing while also offering enhanced educational programs to help children who have communication challenges like Autism, Apraxia and Down Syndrome.

Do Good:

•    Give a gift. Donate money for tuition assistance.

•    Like St. Rita on Facebook.

•    Visit St. Rita School and learn more about what goes on there.