Grant Stories

Supporting the organizations and programs you care about most doesn’t have to end after you’re gone. In fact, your giving can increase and make an even greater impact.

In 2008, John and Valois Williams could have never imagined what their impact on education at Lourdes Academy would be after establishing the John E. and Valois M. Williams Tuition Assistance Fund with a $10,000 gift. Ten years later after John and Valois had passed, the true impact of their gift came to fruition when their sizable bequest was given to Lourdes Academy. With this bequest, the amount of assistance available to families increased exponentially and allows Lourdes to be more intentional in how it awards tuition assistance.

John and Valois were social people and enjoyed being involved in the community. Though they were very fond of children, they had none of their own. Valois was a strong believer in the benefits of a Catholic education, and wanted to help children who could not afford to attend Catholic schools. The generous gift through their bequest will help ensure high quality, faith-based education is available to all families in the community who desire it regardless of income. Support for tuition assistance is a great need at Lourdes Academy as nearly half of all students receive tuition assistance.

Victor E. Knight and students from Lourdes Academy Elementary School cheer on the Knights. Students throughout Lourdes Academy’s PreK-12 Catholic school system benefit from the generous tuition assistance support from the John E. & Valois M. Williams Tuition Assistance Fund.

For the 2019-2020 school year, Lourdes Academy was able to award full-tuition scholarships to five qualifying freshman, easing the financial burden for families moving from middle school to high school. The funds from the William’s will also go towards the launch of a new referral program, providing tuition credit to families who bring new students to Lourdes. This new program is twofold – assisting existing families while helping Lourdes Academy expand and grow.

“John and Valois Williams’ gift is an incredible blessing that will benefit our families for generations to come. Their tuition assistance fund opens doors for families to experience an incredible faith-based education that will prepare students for college and beyond. They were passionate about Catholic education, and we are grateful that they had the foresight to include Lourdes Academy in their planned giving. They have left a legacy to Lourdes and the Oshkosh Community.” — Karen Bohem, Director of Advancement for Lourdes Academy

Since investing its funds at the Oshkosh Area Community Foundation in 2007, Lourdes Academy has seen their funds grow by 215%. These funds allow Lourdes Academy to maintain financial stability and continue to provide tuition assistance to families, upgrade their facilities and support leadership development programs.

“The staff at the Oshkosh Area Community Foundation have been an incredible resource and partner every step of the way, helping us manage our current funds and partnering with us to reach our future fund goals.” — Karen Bohem, Director of Advancement for Lourdes Academy