What is #iGiveCatholic and #GivingTuesday?

We have a day for giving thanks, Thanksgiving. We have two for purchasing gifts for loved ones - Black Friday and Cyber Monday. Lastly, we have #GivingTuesday, a global day dedicated to giving back. Individuals and organizations around the world will come together for one common purpose: to celebrate generosity and to give.  This is always on the Tuesday after Thanksgiving.

We know that, for Catholics, generosity and giving have a profound meaning. As children of God, giving is the ultimate expression of mercy as we feed the hungry, clothe the naked, give shelter to the homeless and preserve our Catholic heritage for future generations. Compelled to action by our shared faith, Catholics are energized to give back knowing that little is much when God is in it.

#iGiveCatholic is an online platform with searchable profiles of participating parishes, schools, ministries, and not-for-profit organizations affiliated with participating arch/dioceses. All donations will be processed through the website iGiveCatholic.org. Anyone can donate to his or her favorite ministry for a 24 hour period (midnight until 11:59 pm).
The minimum donation is $25 and there is no maximum.

Why is St. Mary's participating in #iGiveCatholic in 2021?

GaGa Ball Pit - Let's do something fun for our students!!

Our supporters have been so generous in the past in helping us to raise for big projects (restroom renovation and A/C project).  This year, we want to do something on a smaller scale and to have a more immediate impact on our students.  It is not in our budget, so we are reaching out during #iGiveCatholic.

St. Mary’s Catholic School would love your help in raising $4,000 to purchase a GaGa Ball Pit for our students to enjoy on our school playground.

What is Ga-Ga Ball, you ask? It is a fast-paced, high energy sport played in an octagon-shaped pit. The more players, the better! Dubbed a kinder, gentler version of dodge ball, the game is played with a soft foam or rubber ball and combines the skills of dodging, running, striking and jumping – all while trying to hit opponents with a ball below the knees.

Ga-Ga Ball is believed to have originated in Israel, slowly spreading across the U.S. over the last several decades. Ga means “hit” or “touch” in Hebrew. In the rules of Ga-Ga ball, the ball must touch the ground 2 times before it is considered in play, hence the name! Ga-Ga Ball consists of a lightweight, bouncy or foam ball and an octagon enclosure known as the “Ga-Ga Pit.” The object of the game is to hit players with the ball at or below opponents’ knees to eliminate them one-by-one from the pit. The last one left in the Ga-Ga Ball Pit is the winner!

What really makes Ga-Ga Ball great is that kids of any size, age or athletic ability can play and have the same chance to win as anybody else. Games generally last only a few minutes, and eliminated players are called back into the action quickly. Once a player is out, they can have as much fun watching and cheering while the other players finish off the game. Then, a new game starts all over, and they’re back in action again!

How has #iGiveCatholic helped St. Mary's in the past?

St. Mary's had the opportunity to participate in #iGiveCatholic for the first time in 2016.  The support given has been indescribable.  #iGiveCatholic has helped St. Mary's raise enough money to fund two major projects. 

In 2016, 2017, and 2018 we focused our fundraising on much needed restroom renovations in our elementary building.  #iGiveCatholic gave us the opportunity to raise funds for this much needed major renovation.  We raised over $100,000 in three years of participation. 

In 2019 and 2020 we focused our fundraising on another need in our elementary building, an air conditioning and solar screen project.  We were able to finish this project with these funds, and our classrooms and hallways in the elementary building are now quieter and cooler than ever before. 

We are extremely thankful for the support of those who love our great school and for the #iGiveCatholic platform that allows us to work towards large projects such as these.  

If you are giving on #GivingTuesday, you may use the 'donate now' button above, or visit iGiveCatholic.org, click on the 'Give Back' button, then Diocese of Austin, and search for St. Mary's Catholic School (West).  Spelling does matter, and we have found that searching just for 'Mary' and scrolling to find our school is sometimes easier.  Thank you for your support!