Bishop David Walkowiak has pledged to use up to $1 million to ensure that families who have suffered job loss and other COVID-19 hardships are able to send their children to Catholic schools this fall.

The bishop's commitment was in a release on the diocese’s Grand Rapids Catholic School website, where parents can also find a link to the application for tuition assistance. The bishop's goal is to leave no family or student behind because of pandemic hardships.

As a fiscally prudent organization, the diocese maintains an emergency fund of savings that's sometimes called “the rainy day fund.” “This is a rainy day,” the bishop said in the release.

The fund is for new and returning families whose financial means have been hurt by job loss and other impacts of the pandemic and shutdown. Dave Farber, superintendent of schools for the diocese, urged families to apply for aid as soon as possible. 

“The financial impact of COVID-19 should not keep your family from the benefits of Catholic education,” Farber said in the release.

Walkowiak expressed his gratitude to school leaders, teachers and parents for working together to help students complete the full 180 days of academic work that was required for the previous school year. The surprise shutdown of schools in the spring due to the pandemic emergency made it very challenging for the schools to deliver a strong finish to last year’s academic year.

Farber acknowledged that preparations for the coming school year have been underway all summer.

“It is important for school parents to know that Catholic schools in the Diocese of Grand Rapids will continue to utilize the CDC Guidelines for Schools, and will adhere to all requirements of MI Safe Schools: Michigan’s 2020-21 Return to School Roadmap and the MI Safe Start Plan,” Farber said. He recommended that parents visit page 22 of the Michigan Roadmap to "review the safety measures that will be 'required' for schools by Michigan law and those that will be 'strongly recommended' or 'recommended' during times when our region is in phase 4.” Additionally, page 38 of the Roadmap describes Michigan guidelines for phase 5.