New Orleans Saints owner to fund opening of new tuition-free Catholic school campus
The owner of the New Orleans Saints is helping fund the construction of a second campus for a Catholic school that will serve elementary and middle school-aged children in need.
The New Orleans Saints announced that the club's owner and New Orleans Pelicans governor, Gayle Benson, is donating to the Good Shepherd School, a Catholic school serving students in pre-K through grade 7.
Although the donation amount hasn't been disclosed, it will provide the institution with the necessary funding to open a new location on Desire Street named The Gayle and Tom Benson Good Shepherd School – Giving Hope Campus.
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"Education is the key that unlocks a world of possibilities," Benson said in a statement. "In supporting the Good Shepherd School, my hope is to provide the children of New Orleans with not just an education but a foundation for a future filled with promise and potential."
"Every child deserves the opportunity to thrive, and through a faith-based education, we can empower our young people for generations to achieve their goals," she added. "I believe in the work and mission of the Good Shepherd School and as they look to expand into another area of town (Desire-Florida) to further impact more children and families, I thought this was an important time to act."
Good Shepherd School President and CEO Thomas Moran expressed gratitude for Benson's donation, praising her as a "shining example to others." He suggested that Good Shepherd School's opening of a second campus in the Desire-Florida community "could not be done without the faith-filled generosity of Mrs. Benson."
The school's mission, as described on its website, is to "help low-income, urban youth in order to realize their fullest potential and productive members of society by providing them with an extended-day, year-round, quality education, integrated with personal, moral and spiritual development, and continued guidance during the students' further education."
Founded in 2001, families pay only $125 per student despite it costing $14,000 to educate one child at the school.
"The $14,000 current projected annual cost to educate each student is funded through our benefactors," the school states on its webpage.
According to Nola.com, children can qualify for admission if their family household income falls below $75,000 annually for a family of four. The news outlet noted that most students qualify for the school through the Louisiana Scholarship Program and that families that don't qualify can look to tuition donation credit programs. Moran told the outlet that the institution leans on private donations to cover the tuition funding gap.
Statistics compiled by Good Shepherd School show that 100% of its graduates moved on to high school and graduated on time, while 85% enrolled in college. The school's current enrollment is 264 students, and 219 pupils have graduated from Good Shepherd over the years.
Benson's donation to Good Shepherd School came as part of her Giving Month, where the sports franchise owner made contributions to multiple charitable organizations and endeavors.
The philanthropist unveiled plans to construct a new Gayle and Tom Benson Ochsner Children's Hospital. Ochsner Health CEO Pete November asserted that "this facility will enable us to care for more children, retain and attract top pediatric physicians and care teams, and continue to set the standard of care."
Additional organizations Benson recognized during Giving Month include the Eden House, described by the New Orleans Saints as "an organization that fights to eradicate human trafficking," United Way and Covenant House New Orleans.
Benson elaborated on her Catholic faith and its centrality to her life in a statement released by the New Orleans Saints in 2020.
"My late husband Tom Benson and I have been devout Catholics all of our lives. We met in the Cathedral. I read at the lectern this weekend," she asserted. "We have supported the Catholic Church and this Archdiocese both financially and spiritually for decades, proudly."
"Our relationship with past Archbishops and the Archdiocese dates back 50-plus years. Our faith is the core foundation from which we live our daily lives," she added. "Unifying, helping, and giving back is not something we do when asked; we do it every day. It defined how Tom Benson ran his organizations and how I ardently continue his legacy."
Tom Benson, a businessman who owned several automobile dealerships, died in 2018 at the age of 90. He married Gayle Benson in 2004 following the death of his second wife, Grace Marie Trudeau. His first wife, Shirly Landry, died in 1980.
Ryan Foley is a reporter for The Christian Post. He can be reached at: ryan.foley@christianpost.com
