April 28, 2021

Dan Dougherty, President, Cristo Rey New York High School 

Cristo Rey New York High School is a co-sponsored ministry of the Society of the Holy Child Jesus.

Cristo Rey students take the giving spirit of the Lenten season very seriously. Every year our Campus Ministry team hosts a fundraising competition between classes, with all money raised going toward an organization in our community that needs help. This year our students chose to raise money for a cause very close to our hearts – Cristo Rey’s “Hope Walks.”

Led by long-time CRNYHS teachers Sister Jude and Sister Janice, “Hope Walks in the Bronx” are weekly missions that share meals, clothes, and love with people experiencing homelessness in our neighborhood. The sisters spend their Friday afternoons walking around the Bronx with an ever-growing group of Cristo Rey students and do their best to bring sustenance and smiles to those who need it most. All the money raised through the Lenten Fundraising Competition will go towards food, clothes, masks, and other necessities that make these walks possible.

Along with inciting some healthy competition between classes, this tradition serves as a great example for our Campus Ministers to teach our students about sacrifice in the Easter season. While there is never any pressure to give to the fundraiser, this challenge really resonates with our students, and we are always humbled by their generosity. 2021’s Lenten Fundraising Competition raised $1,026.33 total – a school record! The sophomore class won by a narrow margin, with the juniors and the seniors trailing close behind. We are so proud of the work our students are doing to make a difference in their community.