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Catholic school raises money for World Prematurity Day

November 23, 2021 Jaime DeJesus

Bay Ridge Catholic Academy students wore purple and bought cookies to support the cause.

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Bay Ridge Catholic Academy held a dress-down day and cookie sale Nov. 17 to raise money for the March of Dimes New York in honor of World Prematurity Day.

The school, at 365 83rd St., raised $1,615 to support research and programs to help new mothers and families care for babies born prematurely.

Students, teachers and staff members wore purple, which represents the cause.

Photos courtesy of the Diocese of Brooklyn

John Quaglione, deputy press secretary for the Diocese of Brooklyn, and the father of an academy student, was grateful to the school’s Home Academy Association for making the fundraiser a success.

“The parents, students, and faculty showed a true commitment to the cause, and their fundraising will help to assist research efforts and improve care for babies born too soon,” Quaglione said.

According to the World Health Organization, more than 15 million premature births occur annually throughout the world. In 2020, pre-term births affected one out of every 10 babies born in the U.S., with a slightly higher ratio in New York.