Gift of $1,000,000 Allows Jackson Catholic Schools to Create Scholarship for Tuition Assistance

 (March 31, 2021 5:18 PM) Jackson Catholic Schools (JCS) announced today Jackson businessman, humanitarian, and philanthropist Richard Neuenfeldt has made a gift of $1,000,000 to the Jackson Catholic Schools District. Through an endowed scholarship, JCS says this donation will allow families in need to attend Jackson Catholic Schools. 

Tim Dewitt, Executive Director, Jackson Catholic Schools said,  “Mr. Neuenfeldt is fully dedicated to Jackson Catholic Schools’ mission of educating students of all faiths in a safe, nurturing, and Christ-centered environment, something in which he strongly believes.”

 “Given how strongly my own Catholic school education enriched my life, I wanted to give back to the academic community that helped shape me,” explained Neuenfeldt. “I grew up in St. Joan of Arc Parish, in St. Clair Shores, Michigan. While my sister was able to attend because they began an elementary school at the time, I began my Catholic education at grade 7 at St Joseph’s in Quebec. Upon graduating, I attended the University of Detroit, where I majored in marketing. I spent one semester at Sacred Heart Seminary in Detroit before embarking on a two-year draft, mostly in El Paso, Texas. From there, I entered the Jesuits at Grand Coteau, Louisiana in 1971. I eventually returned to work with my father in food manufacturing (Fry Krisp Food Products, Inc) here in Jackson. The guidance that I received at these catholic schools was important for my growth. I was blessed with six years of boarding school prior to high school graduation, plus college and beyond.”   

Until moving to larger facilities on Wayland Drive, Fry Krisp Food Products was headquartered on Spring Arbor Road across the street from Lumen Christi.  

The Illuminate the Future Capital Campaign for Jackson Catholic Schools aims to raise $7 million, of which $5.2 million has already been committed, due to a second generous donation from philanthropist and Jackson business leader Alvin Glick. This money is being utilized for facility improvements at Lumen Christi Catholic School and to establish two endowments benefitting students and faculty across Jackson Catholic Schools. The planned improvements to Lumen Christi include a complete renovation and facelift of science classrooms, ushering in an improved and state-of-the-art science curriculum, complete renovation of all classrooms utilized for general education complete with updated technology, and cooperative workspaces for students, and athletic facilities.   

Tim Dewitt said the district is now working to further ignite Catholic education in the Jackson area. “Gifts such as this by Mr. Neuenfeldt are crucial to our ability to accomplish our mission and continue to support family’s desire to educate their children in a school that promotes Catholic learning and academic excellence,” Dewitt said.

According to Charles Ludlow, Major Gifts & Alumni Officer at Lumen Christi Catholic School,  “Illuminate the Future” is Jackson Catholic Schools’ response to address necessary, long-overdue capital improvements to the campus buildings of Lumen Christi Catholic School, and to grow the endowment funds to assist all JCS schools with tuition assistance and faculty compensation.   Ludlow said, “It is critical to the district’s long-term growth that we keep pace with the competition in our marketplace, continue programmatic growth, and grow our endowments.”

Ludlow said this major campaign is the first since Lumen Christi was built and is in response to over 600 recommendations of the community, alumni/ae, current and past parents, friends, and benefactors. 

Jackson Catholic Schools is a formal district comprised of four Catholic schools (Lumen Christi Catholic School, St. Mary Star of the Sea Elementary, St. John the Evangelist Elementary, and Queen of the Miraculous Medal Elementary). 

Gifts to the campaign are welcome according to Ludlow and those interested should visit jacksoncatholicschools.org.