Illinois Club for Catholic Women Establishes Scholarship for Catholic Schools
Chicago (December 16, 2024) --Thirty-five financially under-resourced students are attending Catholic schools this year because of the generosity of the Illinois Club for Catholic Women (ICCW). The organization recently pledged its support to Catholic Schools in the Archdiocese of Chicago by establishing the ICCW Scholarship for Girls. The scholarship funds were awarded for the first time in the 2024-25 school year.
“We are grateful to the ICCW for their incredible commitment to our Catholic schools,” said Superintendent Greg Richmond. “This scholarship is evidence of their care for the young girls in our city.” The scholarships were directed to girls coming from families facing financial challenges. The average household income of a recipient’s family was $49k for a family of four which is 148% of the federal poverty level.
ICCW, which was founded at the urging of His Eminence George Cardinal Mundelein in 1921, remains steadfast in its mission to recognize the sacred dignity of every individual, supply compassionate service, and assist Catholic charities in and around Chicago. Today, the ICCW is one of the city’s leading charitable providers for the most vulnerable and neglected members of society. In addition to individual gifts, the ICCW funds its charitable work by hosting events throughout the year, including luncheons, Christmas gatherings at Misericordia and its debutante ball.
The Presentation Ball, which began on December 29, 1958, raises money and inspires its young participants to sustain the club’s commitment to compassion and social service. “The Presentation Ball honors a young woman’s adulthood and welcomes her into a world of civic responsibility and awareness,” according to Irene DeRosa, president of ICCW. “The money we raise through it and other charitable events are helping fund this new scholarship, which is an important way to further the Catholic education of girls throughout the archdiocese.”
“This groundbreaking scholarship will bring education and opportunity to our future female leaders and messengers of God’s peace in this world,” added Cardinal Blase Cupich, archbishop of Chicago.
