b'BECAUSE EVERYBODY COUNTSA Marianist sponsorship program helps children and families in the United States provide tuition support to students in some of the poorest regions of the world.By Carol DexterW hen Kathy Danneberg showed herPHOTO: SUSAN FARLEYgrandsons, James and Jake, theletter, they read it carefully.Whenshe asked them how they felt about it, 11-year oldJames said it made him feel caring and warminside. Jake, who is 8, said hes glad he helpshis nana sponsor a child at the MarianistsMorning Star School in rural India becauseeverybody counts.Because everybody counts in Gods eyes iswhy the Marianists operate schools in someof the poorest regions on Earth. And its whythe Marianists offer the Partnering with thePoor program, which connects donors in theUnited States with elementary schoolchildrenhalf a planet away.Through the program, a caring donor choosesto pay the cost of educating a child at OurLady of Nazareth School in Nairobi, Kenya;Morning Star School in Singhpur, India; or Jacob readingthat give them a real connection to the Kathy Danneberg and herGapp School in Khammam, India. students they support. grandsons, James and Jake,Because local costs are significantly lower, the read a letter from a child theysponsor at a Marianist schoolsponsorship donation is just $125 per year, or about Creating a real connection in India.$10.50 per month. For this amount, a donor can pro- The Partnering with the Poor program began in 2007vide a girl or boy in elementary school with one year through the efforts of Marianist Father David Paul, Opposite page: A girl nearof education, including tuition, books, uniforms and who died in 2017. Father Dave sought to connect Singhpur Village where thePHOTO: RICH F. DAVISMarianists operate Morninga daily meal.friends in the U.S. with the desperate needs of those Star SchoolEach year, donors receive a photograph and two served by the Marianists in developing countries,handwritten thank-you letters from their childsays Marianist Brother Alex Tuss, who now overseesletters like the one Kathy and her grandsons were administration of the program. Father Dave wantedmarianist.com/donate 5'