Development

God has blessed O'Hara with generous contributors through the area parishes, our families, alumni, and community-centered organizations. It is through the support of these constituencies that we are able to make the joys of learning come alive every day at O'Hara Catholic School, allowing us in turn to serve our neighbors and others.

There are many ways — not just financial — that you can help O'Hara continue its mission to prepare students to strive for excellence spiritually, academically, physically and socially, and to be life-long learners with strong Catholic values.

Thank you for prayerfully considering how you might share your time, talent and treasure with O'Hara Catholic School.

Financial Contributions

Cash Gift

A cash gift is the simplest way to support O'Hara and has an immediate impact on the school. Cash or credit card donations can made as one-time gifts or monthly, quarterly, or annual contributions and are deductible for income tax purposes in the year in which they are contributed. (Please consult your tax advisor for tax implications.)

You may designate a cash donation for a specific fund, program or project, including, but not limited to, the following:

• Tuition Assistance Fund (Scholarship Endowment)
• Programs
• Facilities
• Greatest Need
• Classroom Wish List

Checks should be made payable to O'Hara Catholic School and mailed to:

O'Hara Catholic School
715 West 18th Avenue
Eugene, Oregon 97402

You may also call the school and we will process your request for a cash gift by credit card.

If you would like to discuss a specific project or program, please call Suzanne Graf, Development Director, 541.485.5291, ext. 308.

Pledges

You can pledge a cash gift amount to be paid over a specific period of time. For example, you may pledge a gift of $25,000 to be paid over three years. To pledge a cash gift to O'Hara, please call Suzanne Graf, Development Director, 541.485.5291, ext. 308.

Corporate Matching Gifts

Many companies match contributions to charitable causes made by employees, officers, directors, and in some cases spouses and/or retired employees, officers, or directors. And since O'Hara has a 501(c)(3) status, your gift qualifies as a charitable contribituion. Don't miss this opportunity to double or even triple the value of your contribution! Consult your company's personnel or community relations department for guidelines.

Rebate Programs

Through special programs set up by several businesses, you can earn cash for O'Hara every time you shop. From collecting Box Tops and Campbell's Soup Labels to registering your card or using O'Hara's specific ID number, you can help the school earn cash—all without spending an additional penny out of your pocket! O'Hara also receives rebates when you contribute to a college savings plan or search the Internet using Goodsearch.com. All of the programs are quick and easy. View the complete list for more details.

Classroom Wish Lists

Every Summer, teachers compile their "wish list" for the upcoming school year. Careful consideration is given to each list and the school purchases what the budget will allow but there are several items that we are not able to buy. You may give cash for the school to purchase specific items from the Wish List or donate new or gently used items. In some cases, the teachers may be looking for a particular brand, model or feature so please call the school at 541.485.5291 before purchasing or donating used items.

Fundraisers

O'Hara is a private, non-profit organization and depends heavily on fundraisers to cover operational expenses and help keep tuition affordable for our families. There are four main events this year that will contribute more than $200,000 to the school's budget, enabling us to provide the highest quality Catholic education in a clean, safe, challenging, and loving environment. That's a lot of money to raise and it can't be done without the support and help of many participants and volunteers! To find out how you can help, call the Development Office at 541.485.5291.

Fair Parking

O'Hara is located right behind the fairgrounds, on 18th between Jefferson and Friendly Streets, and the school's open fields make the perfect temporary parking lot during the week of the Lane County Fair. The fee to park is $5.00 per car and access to the fair is easy—there is a back entrance to the fairgrounds adjacent to the O'Hara parking lot. Since parent volunteers work long hours each day to assist drivers with parking, all proceeds go directly to the school.

Annual Jog-A-Thon

The second largest fundraiser of the year, the Jog-A-Thon is a special O'Hara community event that gets the students directly involved in making a difference for their school. With their eyes toward a $50,000 goal, the students will collect pledges and flat donations prior to the event. On Friday, October 10th, they will do a maze, walk and/or jog for an hour and a half at the school track and end the day of fun and comraderie with an all-school, all-family picnic.

Business sponsorships to help underwrite the costs of the event are available. Please call Suzanne Graf, Development Director, 541.485.5291, ext. 308 for more information.

Sally Foster

Ongoing throughout the school year Sally Foster offers high-quality gift-wrap and other outstanding products. O'Hara receives 50% of all sales from Sally Foster, as well as 40% of sales from Cookie Dough. If you would like a catalog, please call the school at 541.485.5291, or shop online at www.sallyfoster.com. Be sure to use the school's account number, 304270, when you check out so that O'Hara will get credit for the sale.

Annual Auction

The 2009 Annual O'Hara Auction, to be held March 14th, is the largest and most important fundraiser of the year for the school. From the countless volunteer hours given by O'Hara families to the sponsorships and financial and in-kind donations made by individuals, businesses and organizations, this is one event that extends well beyond the Catholic community. Offering both a silent and live auction with dinner and entertainment, tickets are sold out every year and the O'Hara Auction is often rated as the "most fun" in the Eugene/Springfield area. Mark your calendar now and come find out why! If you would like to make a donation to the auction, purchase a sponsorship or tickets, please call 541.485.5291.