The Extra Mile Education Foundation is a privately funded, non-profit charity 501(3)(c) based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, founded in 1989.[1][2][3] The money raised by the charity is used to subsidize the tuition of low income students who attend several K-8 Catholic schools in the Pittsburgh area. Most of the students are African American. As of January 2011, five Pittsburgh schools are currently enrolled in the program.[4]
| Formation | 1989 |
|---|---|
| Type | 501(3)(c) |
| Purpose | Inner city education |
| Headquarters | Pittsburgh, PA |
Parent organization | Catholic Church |
| Website | http://www.extramilefdn.org |
Statistics
A January 28, 2007 article in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette cites the following information about The Extra Mile Education Foundation[5]
- Of the 830 students whose education is funded by the program, most are non-Catholic.
- 70% of the students come from families whose income is low enough to qualify for free or reduced priced lunches.
- Of the students who graduate from the program (i.e., from 8th grade), not a single student has ever failed 9th grade, and 96% of the students graduate from high school within 4 years.
- The foundation spends $1.9 million per year for scholarships. The money comes from donations, and from interest on the foundation's $17 million endowment.
Mission statement
The following is an excerpt from their official mission statement: "Extra Mile Education Foundation supports the education of urban children in select Pittsburgh parochial elementary schools ... The schools – identified by the Diocese of Pittsburgh – are in economically disadvantaged neighborhoods, and students are primarily African American and non-Catholic. Extra Mile is dedicated to sustaining these schools for their communities on an ongoing basis..." The entire mission statement can be read on the Foundation website.[6]
Donors
Donors include:[5]
Board of directors
Notable members of the foundation's board include:[7]
- Art Rooney II, President of the Pittsburgh Steelers
- Michael P. Tomlin, Head coach Pittsburgh Steelers
- David Shapira, Chairman and CEO of Giant Eagle
- Thomas Usher, former Chairman of Marathon Oil
- David Zubik, Bishop of Pittsburgh