“Mom, I have to move from Newark or I’m going to kill or be killed!”

These words, spoken by a Newark son to his mom, were repeated in an interview with his mother conducted by a New Jersey radio station shortly after the recent Newark killings. How scary and troubling for a parent to hear such words!

When is enough, enough?! What can we do to reduce the violent crimes occurring in our inner cities and often overflowing into our suburban towns?

A grieving father of one of the Newark victims pleaded that parents need to teach their children right from wrong. The problem is that even though many parents want their children to learn good values, the environment in which these children are growing often draws them into a life of crime. These young people are challenged everyday.

Although there are no easy answers, we know this for sure: Parochial schools provide not only a safe haven, but also a caring, nurturing and disciplined environment where respect for self and others are both modeled and developed.

Catholic schools are about high quality education and strong character development. It is these values that offer the ticket out of poverty and place the students on the road to a responsible and successful future. . This is why 97% of our inner-city high school scholarship recipients go on to college. This is also why so many inner-city families are desperate to send their children to parochial schools. Although we help more each year, too many are turned away.

One mother gratefully wrote: “I too have learned, along with my children, new values and lessons that will prepare us for the coming future.”

Your willingness to give a hand to these children helps to provide the quality of education that positively impacts their lives and our communities.

Together, we will bring smiles to their faces! We can’t do it without you!

With sincere gratitude,

Lorraine Cunningham