Gift from the Cupid Foundation will Help 100 Students Attend Community Schools in Underserved Neighborhoods
At its annual “Back to School Breakfast” today, the Archdiocese of Baltimore announced a contribution of a million dollars from the Cupid Foundation, the private foundation of Kevin Plank, founder, Chairman and CEO of Under Armour, Inc. The gift will support the Partners in Excellence (PIE) Scholarship Program, which provides need-based scholarships for elementary and high school students to attend Catholic schools in Baltimore City.
Established in 1996 by Cardinal William H. Keeler and business leader Raymond “Chip” Mason, PIE was created to provide partial tuition assistance to students in some of Baltimore’s most disadvantaged communities. Mason was honored at this morning’s event for his service to the program.
Tom Geddes, CEO of Plank Industries and Executive Director of the Cupid Foundation, said “when looking for ways to help in our city, Kevin Plank likes tried and tested programs that work. Over the past 20 years, PIE has awarded over 25,000 scholarships to low-income children. Nearly 9 out of 10 PIE Scholars graduate from high school on time, 82% then enroll in 2 or 4 year colleges. Education is how the cycle of poverty in families is broken, and the record speaks for itself.”
Archbishop William E. Lori, Archbishop of Baltimore, thanked Mr. Geddes, who made the announcement on behalf of Mr. Plank, who was unable to attend the event.
“On behalf of the many children who will greatly benefit from this gift, I offer my sincere thanks to Mr. Kevin Plank and the Cupid Foundation for their confidence and support in the ability of Catholic schools to transform the lives of the children entrusted to their care,” the Archbishop said.
This gift will give roughly a hundred more children an opportunity to attend high-quality community schools in their own neighborhoods. PIE students are 96% non-white, and 79% are non-Catholic. The average household income of recipients is $34,184.
The “Partners” in Partners in Excellence include corporations, foundations and individuals who generously donate the funds needed to make a Catholic school education affordable for students who otherwise would not have this opportunity. Partners can support one child or many, and are critical to the success of the program and the futures of these children.