Readers’ generosity helped reopen this Philly Catholic school. But it needs more.
The school, known as a "beacon of hope" in Kensington, has a new challenge: It needs $1 million for a new roof for its 1870s structure.
Thieves broke into a Kensington Catholic school in November — stealing pipes, toilets, and computers, smashing the main water line that caused hundreds of thousands of dollars in damage, and shaking the community’s faith.
After reading about the plight of Visitation BVM School, long known as a “beacon of hope” in the city, strangers, neighbors, and alumni from as far away as California restored that faith by way of $300,000 in donations to help the school get back on its feet.
“We were overwhelmed by generosity,” said Erin Flanigan, vice principal of the school, which educates 370 students in prekindergarten through eighth grade. “It was a blessing.”
The school building had to close for four days after the break-in by thieves who bent a metal grate and entered through a basement window, then broke the water main, which flooded the school and ruined the heating system and more.
» READ MORE: Thieves broke into this Kensington Catholic school. They took more than copper and computers.
The public’s attention was captured after The Inquirer detailed the damage done to a school, church, and community that have meant much to one of the city’s poorest neighborhoods, an area deeply affected by gun violence and the opioid epidemic.
Alumni sent funds. Students at other Catholic schools made handwritten cards and notes, donating money from dress-down days and Christmas collections. People with no connection to the church or school chipped in, moved by a school making a real difference in Kensington. School parents helped with donated or discounted materials and labor. Temple University gave computers.
“Principals from all over called me and said, ‘What can I do?’ Their generosity was amazing,” said Ed Coleman, Visitation’s principal.
One alumna of the school, on East Lehigh Avenue, told Rosemary Haenn, Visitation’s development director, that she had no money to give but was determined to help.
“She banged down doors to say, ‘If you can give $5, do that,’” Haenn said.
Insurance covered some of the damage to the vintage 1870s building, but not all. There were extensive repairs needed for the boiler, new flooring, a new security system, sensors, and cameras. Asbestos found under some damaged tiles had to be removed.
The work is largely done, but another hurdle remains: The school needs a new roof — the patches it has been relying on won’t work for much longer. The estimated cost is $1 million, Coleman said.
“We have a lot going against us, but we’re here smiling,” said Flanigan.
Sister Dolores Egner, who retired after 30 years as Visitation’s principal in 2017, said she’s pulling for a miracle.
“Visitation helps people in many ways,” Sister Dolores said. “It’s not just classrooms, it’s community, it’s a sense of belonging.”