Catholic Schools Foundation and Horizons for Homeless Children Mark 10-Year Partnership Delivering More Than $2 Million in Scholarships for Students Experiencing Housing Instability
BOSTON, MA — The Catholic Schools Foundation (CSF) and Horizons for Homeless Children recently marked 10 years of partnership with a visit to Saint John Paul II Catholic Academy, Lower Mills. The visit brought together leaders, donors, and supporters from both organizations to see firsthand the impact of the CSF Horizons Scholarship Program, which provides long-term educational opportunities for students experiencing housing instability.
Since its launch in 2016, the CSF Horizons Scholarship Program has distributed more than $2 million in scholarships to students across greater Boston. What began in 2016 as a $46,000 investment supporting nine students has grown into a projected $350,000 annual investment supporting 55 students next school year. The program is built on a simple but powerful belief: that children and families facing housing instability deserve consistent access to high-quality education, supportive school communities, and the opportunity to thrive.
Through the partnership, Horizons for Homeless Children provides deep expertise in serving families in crisis, while the Catholic Schools Foundation provides scholarship funding and access to a network of Catholic schools. CSF Horizons Scholarships cover approximately 90 percent or more of tuition, with every family contributing something, and scholarships remain with students year after year. On average, students have been part of the scholarship program for six years, with some students receiving scholarships for 10 straight years, reflecting the program’s commitment to long-term stability and lasting interventions.
“At Horizons for Homeless Children, we know that housing instability can impact every part of a child’s life, including their ability to learn, build relationships, and feel a sense of belonging,” said Kate Barrand, President and CEO of Horizons for Homeless Children. “Every child deserves the opportunity to learn, grow, and imagine a future filled with possibility, regardless of the circumstances they are facing. This 10-year partnership with the Catholic Schools Foundation demonstrates what is possible when organizations come together to remove barriers and create lasting opportunities for children and families. By ensuring students experiencing housing instability can remain connected to their schools and communities, this program provides more than a scholarship, it provides a foundation of stability, support, and potential that helps children thrive.”
“At its heart, this program is about consistency, belonging, and opportunity,” said Mike Reardon, Executive Director of the Catholic Schools Foundation. “For students who have experienced housing instability, remaining in the same school community year after year can be life-changing. The visit to Saint John Paul II Catholic Academy reminded all of us why this partnership matters and why continued support is so important.”
The morning began with a conversation among Saint John Paul II Catholic Academy Regional Director Kate Brandley, Lower Mills Campus Principal Lisa Warshafsky, representatives from Horizons for Homeless Children, CSF staff, donors, and trustees. The group discussed the day-to-day impact of the program, its growth over the past decade, and the shared commitment required to sustain and expand it.
For the school’s leaders, that commitment is part of daily life. Lower Mills Campus Principal Lisa Warshafsky described what stability looks like in practice for students and families navigating housing insecurity.
“Our students spend close to twelve hours a day with our team, from a 6:30 a.m. breakfast to an after-school program that ends at 6:00 p.m.,” said Warshafsky. “Being able to provide breakfast, a healthy lunch, and an afternoon snack mitigates the stress of food insecurity for families navigating a transitional time. Outreach to these families is an intentional process filled with love and dignity. It might be a check-in call just to say hello, finding access to gently used uniforms, or an invitation to come in as a guest reader in their child’s classroom. Our shared goal is to ensure our students have access to a high-quality, Catholic education even when faced with potential barriers.”
The highlight of the visit was a school tour led by four CSF Horizons Scholars. Two of the students are graduating eighth graders preparing to attend Catholic high schools in the fall, Fontbonne Academy in Milton and Cristo Rey Boston High School in Dorchester. Two of the student tour guides are seventh graders who will continue their education at Saint John Paul II Catholic Academy. Together, they guided visitors through the school with confidence, warmth, and pride.
The students’ leadership reflected the program’s deeper purpose. For students who have experienced instability outside the classroom, the ability to remain rooted in a school community can provide a powerful foundation for academic, social, and emotional growth. The students’ familiarity with their teachers, classmates, and school environment demonstrated the sense of belonging that the CSF Horizons Scholarship Program is designed to make possible.
Following the tour, visitors joined the students for an open question-and-answer session. The graduating students spoke about their hopes for high school, while the younger students shared what they love most about Saint John Paul II Catholic Academy. A lighthearted question from Reardon, whether the students would choose Gronk or Brady, brought laughter from the group, with most students choosing Gronk. The moment captured something essential about the morning: students who feel comfortable enough to laugh and speak openly with a room full of guests are students who feel at home.
The visit also underscored the role of donors and community support in sustaining the program. Paul Ciampa, a Horizons Scholar donor, and member of the Board of Trustees at Saint John Paul II Catholic Academy, reflected on the students’ energy, resilience, kindness, and intelligence after seeing the program in action.
“We are so pleased to see how these children are thriving,” said Ciampa. “Many of these children have experienced hardships that most of us can scarcely imagine. Yet when you walk into the classrooms, what stands out is not adversity, it is joy, curiosity, and a genuine love of learning. The CSF-Horizons–Saint John Paul II partnership has exceeded every expectation we had. It is a powerful example of what can happen when a community comes together in the service of others. Watching these students flourish has been both inspiring and humbling.”
Ciampa left the morning energized and committed to helping connect more Horizons donors with the CSF Horizons Scholarship Program. Continued donor engagement is essential as the program grows to meet the needs of more students and families across greater Boston.
CSF Trustee Cindy Wickwire also reflected on the visit and the students who led the tour.
“I truly enjoyed meeting the students,” said Wickwire. “They were engaging during the tour and obviously thriving in their school environment at Saint John Paul II. I’m confident these scholars have a bright future ahead, given the foundation they have worked hard to build. Seeing firsthand the results of the partnership between Horizons, Saint John Paul II, and CSF is inspiring, and the impact is immeasurable.”
This year’s results point to the long-term promise of the program. Next year, CSF will have 12 high school Horizons Scholarship recipients, including current eighth graders matriculating to Catholic and independent high schools across greater Boston. Students will attend schools including Xaverian Brothers High School, Cristo Rey Boston High School, Arlington Catholic High School, Fontbonne Academy, Ursuline Academy, and Noble and Greenough School. Two CSF Horizons graduates are currently enrolled in college at Suffolk University and at UMass Amherst.
For CSF and Horizons, the visit to Saint John Paul II Catholic Academy was more than a school tour. It was a reminder of what can happen when organizations, schools, families, and donors come together around a shared mission. Over the past 10 years, the partnership has helped students find stability, opportunities, and a path forward. As the program enters its next decade, CSF and Horizons remain committed to expanding that impact for more children experiencing housing instability.
About the Catholic Schools Foundation
The Catholic Schools Foundation (CSF) is the largest K–12 scholarship-granting organization in Massachusetts, providing financial aid to low-income students to attend Catholic schools in the Archdiocese of Boston regardless of race, religion, ethnicity, or gender. Through its Building Minds Scholarship Fund, CSF supports thousands of students in high-poverty neighborhoods. As an independent 501(c)(3), CSF enables companies and individuals to help transform lives through the gift of Catholic education.
About Horizons for Homeless Children
Horizons for Homeless Children supports children and families experiencing homelessness by providing high-quality early education, family support, and opportunities that help children learn, grow, and thrive.
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