WARREN, Michigan — An anonymous donor has begun a match campaign to  support Immaculate Conception Ukrainian Catholic Schools’ effort to educate refugees from the ongoing Ukrainian-Russian War.

The donor worked with the Catholic Foundation of Michigan to establish a short campaign to raise funds for scholarships to cover the cost of tuition for refugee students attending the school this year, after reading about the school’s efforts in the Detroit Catholic, the news outlet of the Archdiocese of Detroit.

“The Catholic Foundation of Michigan’s whole mission is to make giving easy for our Catholic faithful,” said Angela Moloney, executive director of the organization.

The donor wanted to use the foundation as a fundraising mechanism for the refugee students so a wider audience could learn about the campaign and donate. The fund includes a dollar-for-dollar match up to $50,000.

“(I was) moved to tears by the beautiful story of both the plight of the Ukrainian school children and the generosity of the Immaculate Conception Ukrainian Catholic Schools community” in welcoming these students, the donor wrote to the Catholic Foundation of Michigan.

“Like many around the world, my prayer regularly includes the Ukrainian people who have had their lives torn apart by the terrible assault on their nation and way of life,” the donor added.

Donors can give here — https://bit.ly/3x7pnGD— to help cover tuition for the estimated 100 refugee students who will be attending Immaculate Conception this school year.

Having the fund administered by a third-party fundraising source allows the school to focus on its mission while the Catholic Foundation focuses on the work of raising funds, Moloney said.

Moloney said the school leaders were grateful for the donor’s generosity. Father Daniel Schaicoski, a priest of the Order of St. Basil the Great who is the superior of Immaculate Conception Ukrainian Catholic Schools, said the community could certainly meet the match of raising the other $50,000.

“Hands down. I know this community is generous, and we can do it,” he told her.

“This isn’t just another Catholic school for these kids,” Moloney said. “This is going to be a home that understands them and can embrace them in a way any other school or community might not do.”

“This is a beautiful, perfect fit for these kids and families who have lost so much already,” she said. “This is our Gospel call to help them.”

– – –

Meloy is a staff writer for Detroit Catholic, the news outlet of the Archdiocese of Detroit.