AUBURN — A matching, fundraising campaign to provide tuition assistance to Saint Dominic Academy families in this difficult time has met its goal a week early, and the generosity on display has moved the benefactors to increase their support in an effort to help more members of the school community.
The 2020 Jean-Dion Match Challenge passed the $300,000 mark last week, with contributors donating over $100,000 and Ray Jean ’60, Louise Jean ’61 and Don Dion ’72 matching and doubling each dollar, raising the total to over $300,000. The challenge is in addition to an endowment that the Jeans established at the Catholic Foundation of Maine in memory of Louise’s mother, Laurianne Cormier.

“Don Dion and Ray and Louise Jean are touched by the support of many for this challenge,” said Debra Anthoine ‘87, advancement director for the academy. “We also have doubled the number of gifts we received last year (currently 341 gifts). As a result of the success, they are contributing an additional $25,000 each to the challenge. Our goal, therefore, has increased from $100,000 to $125,000. The potential benefit to St. Dom’s is $375,000.”

“The money raised through the Jean-Dion Match Challenge will help parents pay for this year’s tuition and help secure future tuition assistance needs,” said Timothy Gallic, president of the academy, which has campuses in Auburn and Lewiston.

To support St. Dom’s and triple dollars through the challenge, text “Support” to 207-222-7203 or visit www.stdomsmaine.org/support. A reminder that the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act (CARES) increases the deductible amount for “qualified contributions” in two ways, by allowing all taxpayers who elect the standard deduction to deduct total charitable cash contributions of up to $300 on the 2020 federal tax return and by lifting the existing cap on annual contributions for those who itemize from 60 to 100 percent of adjusted gross income.