A good challenge in terribly challenging times

Dear Friends,

These are terribly challenging times. That said, we at the Come to Believe network, or CTB, are not treading water while we wait for the vaccine. Rather, as we consider a post-pandemic perspective, we remain laser-focused on undergraduate success for first generation, Pell eligible, and undocumented students. We are driven by what gets these students across the finish line as they pursue their two-year associate’s degrees—full-time faculty who serve as academic advisors; breakfast and lunch programs; laptops and technology access for each student; social workers; career counseling; financial aid officers; and a culture of community and belonging. The retention and graduation rates of students at CTB-affiliated colleges are transforming the ways universities are reimagining higher education. The success rates are also transforming the lives of our students. They are crossing the finish line in record numbers. 

The Bezos Family is focused on student success and transformative education. Like many of you, they have supported CTB with a very generous seed gift as we start up our work to guide other universities who wish to replicate our two-year college model. But the Bezos Family wishes to do more. They have issued a challenge: they will match every gift given to CTB up to $100,000. A good challenge in terribly challenging times. Like you, they know we are living in a time of transformation, a time when our families, our communities, our economy, and our country demand that young women and men successfully complete a postsecondary educational degree in order to contribute to and lead the work of transformation. 

Thank you for considering making a gift so that CTB can cross the finish line and meet the Bezos Family challenge match. And, thank you for considering making a gift so that CTB can create more colleges and help more students cross the finish line and complete their degrees successfully. Finally, be assured of my prayers for you for a healthy holiday season. I will remember you during Mass at Christmas. 

God’s blessings,

Steve Katsouros, S.J. 

President and CEO

Come to Believe Network

New York, New York

You can help us meet the Bezos Family challenge match by sending your gift to Come to Believe Network, P.O. Box 786, New York, NY 10150. Or, you can visit CTB’s website at www.ctbnetwork.org and make a donation via PayPal. If you have any questions or want to learn more about CTB, don’t hesitate to contact me at skatsouros@ctbnetwork.org