OUR STORY
Our story began in the hearts of devoted Catholic parents who desired a Catholic education for all of their children. As our families grew, hope persisted that our kids would receive a quality education in a foundation of faith. For many of our kids, that became a blessed reality. Unfortunately, for our children who were born with a disability or with significant learning challenges, the story was quite different.
The reality was that our parish schools, faced with limited resources, were often unable to support our children with individualized learning needs. Many of us worked with our individual parish schools and experienced small successes, and yet, for many families a non-Catholic education was the only viable option for their children. It was a painful reality that resulted in siblings having to separate into different schools. It was distressing that the desire for a Catholic education went unrealized for some of our kids.
Through the work of the Holy Spirit, a common dialogue was growing among parents and among Catholic school leadership. A few moms met monthly to share their concerns and dreams for their children who needed supportive, individualized education. They met with the superintendent who shared their vision, welcomed their ideas, and connected them with two Catholic special education teachers. Out of this, the Inclusion Committee was born. This dedicated group of women prayed, worked, and grew in number adding more devoted Catholic mothers and teachers to the cause. They created a plan. With the blessing of our Bishop, it was agreed that we’d move forward as an official non-profit organization and become an affiliate of the FIRE Foundation.
The FIRE Foundation of Northern Kentucky was officially founded in November of 2023 with the goal of supporting Catholic schools in the Diocese of Covington to provide inclusive education for students needing additional support and requiring individualized education. Although we are a newly-formed organization, fundraising efforts are underway. We appreciate your support.