The Muccia Family

When Margo and Carrol Muccia Jr. encouraged their children, Tim, David, Elizabeth and Anne to be involved with charities affiliated with Catholic schools in the Archdiocese of New York, they needed little convincing of the transformative power of a Catholic education.

“Growing up, we were always taught to give back – of our time, resources, and in any way that we could,” Tim says. “Our parents led by example and education was always a focus for them.”

While they are active with many nonprofits and Catholic schools throughout the Archdiocese, the proof of success with Inner-City Scholarship Fund was seeing the impact on children’s lives, the brothers noted.

“The model absolutely works,” Tim says. “The numbers speak for themselves in terms of efficacy and success. There is an excellent return on investment.” In his experiences working with Catholic schools, David saw first hand the influence a principal, teacher, and parish priest could have on a student, particularly ones living in challenging neighborhoods. “The impact on students was evident,” he says. “It was incredible to see.”

The values-based education is in fact time-tested, and the curriculum is future-focused.

Students in the Archdiocese of New York consistently outperform their peers in New York’s ELA and math exams, and 99 percent of high school seniors graduate and 98 percent of those students are accepted to college or post-secondary education, according to recent figures.

The numbers are even more impressive when you consider that many families face a myriad of other challenges such as economic hardship, food insecurity, and the like. “The schools are a real oasis for the children,” David says.

That’s why the Muccias have made supporting Inner-City Scholarship Fund a family affair. It began when parents Margo and Carrol first got involved in 1995.

Tim then joined the Board of Trustees in 2011 and David has been the chair of the Westchester Dinner for Catholic Schools. The Muccia brothers, along with their sisters Anne Droesch and Elizabeth Pyle, remain avid supporters of Catholic education.

They are also making sure their children — the next generation of volunteers and supporters — understand the importance of Inner-City’s mission and work. “They are seeing firsthand the good work that is being done through Inner-City Scholarship Fund,” David says