If we know a family is struggling with tuition, can we give anonymous gift to sponsor their child?

[Anonymous]

Would a school allow us to give $X, they then contact the family and pretend they found $X in aid or scholarship for their child? Or something along those lines. We don't want to embarrass them and we don't want them to know we gave it.

[Anonymous]

Contact the Dir of Financial aid and see what they say. It’s very kind of you to want to try to help someone out.

[Anonymous]

After one of my children was diagnosed with a life threatening illness, someone paid his siblings' tuition. The school didn't pretend it was found money. They just told me that the tuition had been paid, and that the donor preferred to remain anonymous.

[Anonymous]

Thats very generous of you but I would imagine that large of a gift could benefit many families more needy than one at a private school...

[Anonymous]

Very kind of you, OP! I’m sure the school can say an anonymous donor paid the tuition.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Thats very generous of you but I would imagine that large of a gift could benefit many families more needy than one at a private school...

You realize that there are many students in need at private schools, correct?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:After one of my children was diagnosed with a life threatening illness, someone paid his siblings' tuition. The school didn't pretend it was found money. They just told me that the tuition had been paid, and that the donor preferred to remain anonymous.

This is the only way to approach it. The school cannot lie to a family about how their tuition is being paid. Making up a fake scholarship or fake financial aid is incredibly unethical.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Thats very generous of you but I would imagine that large of a gift could benefit many families more needy than one at a private school...

I am the PP who had someone pay my children’s tuition. Yes, I agree that there are needier people in the world than our family, at least financially. My assumption is that whoever paid for us is someone who cared specifically about my children, either a family member or combination of family members, or perhaps a collection taken up by the parents of classmates. The people I suspect are also generous to charities that help people they don’t know personally, but this was done out of love for my children by someone who knows them.

I will also say that while I recognize that private school is a luxury, having stability for my kids when their entire world was turned upside down by their brother’s illness, and long stretches of time when a parent was gone at the hospital, was an enormous blessing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Thats very generous of you but I would imagine that large of a gift could benefit many families more needy than one at a private school...

You are an ass.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:After one of my children was diagnosed with a life threatening illness, someone paid his siblings' tuition. The school didn't pretend it was found money. They just told me that the tuition had been paid, and that the donor preferred to remain anonymous.

This is the only way to approach it. The school cannot lie to a family about how their tuition is being paid. Making up a fake scholarship or fake financial aid is incredibly unethical.

How is it a lie? Donors donate to financial aid pool all the time, those donations are used to give aid to families. “We’ve found some additional aid for your child” is not a lie.

[Anonymous]

As a retired HOS, I can tell you that you would be among many who have anonymously aided a student. It's important to note, though, that if you give the money for a specific student you cannot take a tax deduction for the donation. Most donors don't mind that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Thats very generous of you but I would imagine that large of a gift could benefit many families more needy than one at a private school...

Shut up

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Would a school allow us to give $X, they then contact the family and pretend they found $X in aid or scholarship for their child? Or something along those lines. We don't want to embarrass them and we don't want them to know we gave it.

Thank you for posting this.

As someone who has volunteered to raise funds, both annual funds and otherwise, at several private schools over 10+ years, thank you. You represent the most uplifting community spirit of private education.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:After one of my children was diagnosed with a life threatening illness, someone paid his siblings' tuition. The school didn't pretend it was found money. They just told me that the tuition had been paid, and that the donor preferred to remain anonymous.

This is the only way to approach it. The school cannot lie to a family about how their tuition is being paid. Making up a fake scholarship or fake financial aid is incredibly unethical.

How is it a lie? Donors donate to financial aid pool all the time, those donations are used to give aid to families. “We’ve found some additional aid for your child” is not a lie.

It’s not entirely true either. The school didn’t “find” aid for their child, a donor specifically paid their tuition, or contributed portion of their tuition. Knowing this, would prevent any misunderstandings if the family by any chance mentions to another needy family that the school “found additional aid” and that family would also approaching school to also “find” them some additional aid.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Thats very generous of you but I would imagine that large of a gift could benefit many families more needy than one at a private school...

You realize that there are many students in need at private schools, correct?

They're in need but required to pay tuition? True need has tution covered...again this isn't a HHI of 100K per year type of needy.