Cleveland, OH - December is the most wonderful time of the year at Padua Franciscan High School. All month long our students, faculty, staff and alumni participate in our Christmas For Others fundraiser.
CFO is a program designed to make the holidays brighter for the less fortunate. It is the largest student-run fundraiser in Northeast Ohio.
This year, Padua has collected $15,578 in cash, in addition to thousands of donations (clothing, food and toys) for non-profits and families in need. We distributed the money and goods on Friday, December 18th. Non-profits, inner-city schools, local food pantries, animal shelters and many others received checks and trunkfuls of donations.
Our students raised funds in a number of ways. Our annual Coin Wars competition raised $2,879 for local charities and families in need. Students held a drive-up donation drop off where money and canned goods were collected for local food pantries.
They raised thousands of dollars by selling Christmas T-shirts and facemasks, along with Chick-fil-A sandwiches, candy and ice cream.
Our main lobby was full of large bins to collect the following: toys, coats, mittens, hats, scarves, socks, blankets and food.
Several of the non-profits (food pantries, homeless shelters, etc.) who received donations in 2020 include the following:
A Special Wish (Cleveland)
Advent for Others/All Faiths Pantry (Parma)
Birth Care of Medina County
El Salvador Mission Trip
Matt Talbot Inn (Parma)
May Dugan Center (Cleveland)
Parma Animal Shelter
Parma Hunger Center
Promise for Haiti
Providence House (Cleveland)
St. Francis School (Cleveland)
St. Herman's House (Cleveland)
West Side Catholic Center (Cleveland)
William Cosgrove Center (Cleveland)
Zelie's Home (Garfield Hts.)
Photo courtesy of Padua Franciscan High School
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