Real Estate Update - Join Us and the Pulte Family Charitable Foundation in Saving The Jo!

Dear Friends,

For two years, Josephinum Academy of the Sacred Heart has been working to secure ownership of our school property, which we have leased since 1985. We are thrilled to announce a partnership with the Pulte Family Charitable Foundation that brings this closer to reality.

The Pulte Family Charitable Foundation has launched a new endeavor, The Catholic Initiative, which is focused on restoring and endowing vibrant Catholic churches, schools, and parishes. Josephinum Academy is one of three initial projects undertaken by The Catholic Initiative, and our future success becomes dramatically more likely through this partnership.

As a result, the Pulte Family Charitable Foundation has made a transformative commitment to our property acquisition fund bringing us to 81% of our goal. But we still need help to reach the purchase price of $9.4M by June 1 so that Josephinum can continue its mission for many years to come.

Your prior support has been impactful and we know you continue to believe in our mission to educate Chicago’s promising young women from families with financial need. Please consider joining the Pulte Family Charitable Foundation and many other Josephinum supporters by donating to our property acquisition fund. Donate now by visiting josephinum.org/foreverjo or by contacting us to make a pledge.

Friends, this is great news for the future of our mission but we’re not all the way there. I invite you to join us in this pivotal moment and to ensure our future impact on countless deserving students.

Sincerely,

Richard McMenamin

richard.mcmenamin@josephinum.org

(312) 805-4341

More about the Josephinum and Catholic Initiative partnership

The Catholic Initiative is proud to support the future of The Jo. Recognizing the school’s vital role in the community, The Catholic Initiative and the Josephinum team are working to secure funding to acquire the school property from its current owners. The Catholic Initiative is paving the way for a new property ownership model to support vibrant, but under-resourced Catholic communities. At Josephinum, this model will entail the creation of a dedicated, separate nonprofit organization solely for the purpose of owning and maintaining the school property. Josephinum will enter into an iron-clad 200 year lease, at $1 per year, for the exclusive and permanent right to use the property in furtherance of its mission. The Catholic Initiative has demonstrated the effectiveness of this innovative, Vatican-approved funding model through their first partnership, with Ste. Anne’s Basilica in Detroit, MI.

Once the property acquisition has been completed, the partnership will focus on securing Josephinum’s future. With a strong leadership team and a vision for growth, The Jo is well-positioned for long-term success. The majority of students receive full scholarships, making a Josephinum education a transformative opportunity. To support this mission, Josephinum and the Catholic Initiative are launching a 3–5 year capital campaign aimed at establishing an endowment, funding scholarships, expanding educational programs, and restoring and modernizing the campus.