These students look forward to entering the new school, Holy Name High School – A Chesterton Academy. Pictured, from the left, are Patton Nyquist, Kamryn Patmythes, Katelyn Rexford, and Joseph Carlson. Students from across the Upper Peninsula have a new opportunity to receive a quality, Catholic, classical education beginning in 2021-22 school year through both in person and remote learning. (Courtesy photo)

MARQUETTE — For the first time, the Upper Peninsula Catholic Foundation Inc. topped $500,000 in its annual grant distributions for various Catholic ministries across the Upper Peninsula.

The UPCF connects faith with charitable giving through long-term support for the needs of Catholic ministries in the Diocese of Marquette.

Six new endowment funds are providing grant distributions for the first time in 2021, and several others are providing a significant boost in grant amounts due to bequests received and asset growth over the last year.

Holy Name High School — A Chesterton Academy in Escanaba — will benefit from two first-time grants from the UPCF as it opens its doors in the fall of 2021. The school created several endowment funds in the UPCF and continues to actively fundraise to grow those endowments for long-term sustainability of the new school.

“We are grateful to have these endowment funds providing distributions the very first year that our new school opens. These funds will continue to give forever, really solidifying the future of the school,” said principal Joseph Carlson in a press release.

Due to a significant bequest gift received last year, Catholic Social Services of the U.P. will receive a first-time grant and the Seminarian Endowment Fund will receive a higher grant this year. The bequest, over $1 million received from the estate of Donald Stanley, created a legacy of care for seminarians and social services in the U.P.

“This gift will be life-changing to our organization and the people it serves. Not only will the new endowment provide a sizable distribution in its first year and beyond, but also will serve as a new option for donors who want to support the work of CSSUP long into the future,” said Kyle Rambo, Executive Director of Catholic Social Services of the U.P., in a news release.

The largest grant at $347,692 is from the Legacy of Faith Endowment Fund, and will provide funding to 76 parishes, Catholic schools, and Catholic Social Services of the U.P. The Legacy of Faith Endowment fund has been providing grants to foster the Catholic faith in the U.P. since 2002.

Rooted in the Catholic faith brought by early missionaries to the original people of the Upper Peninsula in the 1600s, the UPCF came to life in 2016. The Foundation allows anyone to create and grow endowments today that will bear fruit for many generations to come. Meet the board of directors, view a complete list of funds, find audited financial statements and more at www.upcatholicfoundation.org. The executive director, Terri Gadzinski, can be reached by phone at 906-227-9108 or by email at tgadzinski@dioceseofmarquette.org.