University Raises $40,000 On #GivingTuesday for Struggling Scranton Students

On Tuesday, Nov. 27, a global day of giving known as #GivingTuesday, the University community came together in a generous way to support the Rev. James P. Sweeney, S.J., Family Outreach Fund, which provides emergency financial aid for struggling Scranton students.

Since its inception, the Father Sweeney Fund has awarded $3.4 million to 950 Scranton students, helping those students stay enrolled at Scranton after encountering unexpected financial hardship.

On #GivingTuesday, 234 donors contributed $40,744, mostly to the Father Sweeney Fund. One of those donors is a current Scranton parent whose son benefited from the fund. She says:

“I hadn’t realized it was #GivingTuesday until I saw a quote from Pope Francis reminding us that little miracles happen with small amounts of generosity. A small miracle for our family was The Father Sweeney Fund. My son received aid this year due to financial circumstances...Small acts of giving really add up, and regardless of the amount, I wanted to give back so that other students who are in the same position as my son are able to stay and thrive at Scranton.”

#GivingTuesday is a global day of giving dedicated to supporting non-profit organizations all over the world. Learn more about the global movement at givingtuesday.org.