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$150 million gift for Catholic schools from the White family
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$150 million gift for Catholic schools from the White family

Bishop Robert McClory of Gary, Indiana, has received a $150 million gift from the Dean and Barbara White Family Foundation to invest in his diocese’s Catholic schools.

The donation is the largest single investment ever given for PreK-12 Catholic education and will be invested specifically in the Diocese over the next 10 years. The diocese has collaborated with the Big Shoulders Fund for about five years on various educational matters.

The $150 million gift allows the diocese to lead a conversation about growth and allows the diocese to step back and evaluate priorities anew. The state of Indiana has a robust school choice program, which has relieved the financial burden for families who may otherwise struggle to afford Catholic school tuition.

The Catholic Foundation of Northwest Indiana has announced plans to establish an endowment for school employee compensation in Gary, with the goal of growing it to $50 million. The diocese is well-poised to fulfill an extraordinary vision going forward.

At a practical level, each of Gary’s 17 parochial elementary schools and three diocesan high schools will receive an initial infusion of money to help with immediate needs and goals, including deferred maintenance.

The Diocese of Gary is undergoing an in-depth assessment of its Catholic education system, which will take about a year. The first year will focus on data analysis, trends, and discussions with major stakeholders to determine the needs and best ways to serve the entire diocese. The diocese is shifting from a paycheck-to-paycheck mindset to a more long-term, impactful, systemic approach.

The process will involve discussions with all stakeholders, including members of the Dean and Barbara White Foundation, the Big Shoulders team, diocesan officials, pastors, principals, and school families. School leaders will be asked about the ideal Catholic education model, whether to open new schools or expand existing ones, and whether new governance or academic models would be a good fit. Decisions on adopting new educational models will be made on a school-by-school basis. The bishop hopes that this commitment will inspire others to reflect on their own desire to financially support Catholic schools.

Catholic schools in Indiana are aiming to expand their services to more students and families, thanks to a $50 million endowment for teacher staff salaries and a donation to Catholic schools. The donation is an answer to decades of prayers by Catholic teachers and administrators, who have been hesitant to dream about what they could do due to the realistic boundaries of money.

Dean White, a visionary and passionate philanthropist, began his giving in 1946 after returning from World War II. He took over his father’s local billboard company and later expanded it to include real estate and hotel development.

The family’s commitment to community continues through the Dean and Barbara White Family Foundation, which works with top-performing partners to provide a higher quality of life and new opportunities for the people of the area.

The family’s son Bruce, founder of White Lodging and a nationally respected leader in Business and Philanthropy, personified the values of the White Family and inspires the foundation’s pursuit of excellence.

Bruce White founded White Lodging in 1985 with a single hotel in Northwest Indiana, ultimately growing the business into one of the industry’s largest privately held development, ownership and management companies.

Throughout his career, Bruce White developed, owned, and managed more than 225 new hotels over the last 35 years on behalf of White Lodging and with the support of other valued partners.

With hotels in some of the country’s most coveted urban destinations, White Lodging remains family-owned and headquartered in Northwest Indiana—where Bruce White’s legacy began.

When Bruce and Beth’s children were young, they reiterated a philosophy each day that set the stage for their family relationships and personal and professional lives: Be a Learner, Be a Leader, Be a Friend.

Bruce and Beth’s three now-adult children were initially discouraged from entering the hospitality industry, empowered to make their own path and pursue their own passions. Yet, their paths all led to hospitality and their passion for the industry blossomed like their father’s did so many years ago.

The next generation of the White Family is intimately involved in the company’s operations and sit on the Board of Directors. They remain very active in each other’s lives and each has their own niche they’re most passionate about.

Together they are committed to continuing Bruce’s legacy of growing White Lodging through operational excellence and new hotel developments.

Ultimately, Bruce’s vision for White Lodging was to create a sustainable, multi-generational, family company that is recognized as the very best at what it does.

Photo: Conner White, Corinne (White) Troise and Otis White

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