Westover School - The Power of Giving

Westover School juniors raised $9,000  for charitable giving, and decided to invest a portion of the money by starting the Dorcas Fund at the Connecticut Community Foundation. The students set aside $4,000 as seed money for the Fund whic...

Westover School - The Power of Giving

Westover School juniors raised $9,000  for charitable giving, and decided to invest a portion of the money by starting the Dorcas Fund at the Connecticut Community Foundation. The students set aside $4,000 as seed money for the Fund which will be invested for future use and growth, along with the Foundation's other assets. Westover is the first school to establish a fund at the Foundation that will allow students to participate in the grant-making process, and will encourage the habit of giving throughout their lives.

 

The students' successful fundraising enabled them to also give $5,000 directly to worthy charities, including a $2,000 contribution to the Academy of the Sacred Heart, a girls school in Grand Coteau, Louisiana, that took in students displaced by Hurricane Katrina. Each year three elected juniors organize their classmates to put on the Dorcas Fair, a major fundraiser, which is enjoyed by the entire school community. The juniors also sponsor other fundraising activities such as lollipop sales and back-to-school baskets. Named after a woman in the Bible known for her charitable works, the Dorcas Society has been active at the school since its founding.