Rodrigo Rubiano and family have made a $50,000 donation to Guadalupe Regional Middle School, an all-scholarship Catholic school in Brownsville.
The contribution comes in a critical financial year for the school, which has been unable to host its traditional fundraising events as a result of COVID-19.
“The Rubiano’s donation will help complete the cost of scholarships that were awarded to local students at the beginning of the school year,” said Michael Motyl, GRMS president. “We took a leap of faith in regards to our finances going into this school year, knowing that things would look different. While we have pivoted to help make up the difference left by the challenges of COVID, this gift will go a long way in ensuring that the school will remain a beacon in Brownsville’s educational landscape.”
The non-traditional gift was made in the form of a donation of stocks. Donating stocks to charities like GRMS has several benefits. Generally, the donor is able to take a tax deduction for the full fair market value. Since the initial investment in a stock has made money over time, donating an appreciated stock also allows the donor to give more to an organization than they might have been able to otherwise.
“The mission of GRMS is something my family and I embrace and are happy to engage and provide assistance for in any way we can,” said Rubiano. “Giving in this way is a win-win that we believe others should know about and participate in if they find themselves in a similar blessed position.”
“Catholic schools are transformative,” said Motyl. “So when we work to extend those opportunities, as most Catholic schools do, we are being Jesus for others. A school like Guadalupe that works towards this goal exclusively, is then dependent on the investment of the larger community. As we like to say, together we are creating the opportunities that transform lives.”
Guadalupe Regional Middle School is an accredited, all-scholarship, private Catholic school for boys and girls in 6th, 7th, and 8th grade, awarding full scholarships to qualifying students who desire but cannot afford a quality Catholic education.
