MARQUETTE — The Upper Peninsula Catholic Foundation of UPCF has made its annual distribution to Catholic schools across the Diocese of Marquette. In total, more than $230,000 has been provided to eight Upper Peninsula schools before the 2020-2021 school year began.

UPCF connects faith with charitable giving through long-term support for the future needs of Catholic ministries in the Diocese of Marquette. This year’s $230,000 distribution to Catholic schools represents a 12.8% increase over last year and is just a portion of what the UPCF distributed to a variety of ministries across the U.P.

“The donors to these school funds never envisioned having to support Catholic schools during a global pandemic,” UPCF Executive Director Terri Gadzinski said, “but that is the genius of endowments. They provide a steady flow of financial support through the highs and the lows. We are grateful that the diocese and its donors had the vision to plan for future needs. These endowments will continue to support Catholic education into perpetuity.”

The distribution breakdown is as follows:

— Sacred Heart Catholic School of L’Anse, $19,775.63;

— Holy Spirit Catholic School of Norway, $20,225.87;

— Bishop Baraga Catholic School of Iron Mountain, $56,401.28;

— St. John Paul II Catholic Academy of Menominee, $24,955.01;

— St. Mary Catholic School of Sault Ste. Marie, $26,742.39;

— St. Francis de Sales School of Manistique, $23,000.34;

— Father Marquette Catholic Academy of Marquette, $23,249.80;

— Name Catholic School of Escanaba, $36,158.18;

To make a donation to a Catholic school fund or for more information, go to http://upcatholicfoundation.org/.