IVETTE CHAVEZ MEMORIAL FUND

The Ivette Chavez Memorial Fund was established in 2007 as a tribute to the memory of Ivette Chavez, a single mother whose son is a 1987 graduate of Cardinal Hayes High School, a well-respected Catholic institution in the Bronx, New York. Ivette worked long hours at a New Jersey fastener company to pay tuition and fees for her only son to benefit from the fine Hayes education that has laid the foundation for thousands of successful young men for over 50 years. The primary vision of this Fund is to provide financial aid to attend Cardinal Hayes to one or more promising students from struggling single-parent households. The long-range goals of the Fund are to provide substantial assistance to needy Hayesmen in the form of tuition awards and college scholarships upon graduation.

About Ivette Chavez

Ivette was born on October 30, 1939 in Ponce, Puerto Rico, the younger of two children. At the age of 15, she relocated to New York City with her family as part of the historical immigration wave from the island in the 1950s. The family immediately settled in the Melrose section of the South Bronx. Ivette attended Jane Addams High School, but only for a short while because among many reasons she was forced to drop out to seek work and help out her family financially. In 1966, Ivette met Hector Chavez whom she married a couple of years later. Unfortunately, the couple separated while Ivette was five months pregnant with their only son, Hector Jr., born June 28, 1969. Ivette however was lucky to have her elderly parents to help take care of little Hector, but was forced to continue working to support her expanded family. She unsuccessfully pursued child support from her estranged husband who evaded the court system as a deadbeat dad, but despite the hardship she resolved to raise her son on her own without any help from him.

Ivette was employed at Rexnord / Camloc Fasteners for several years, enabling her son to attend Catholic schools for 12 years. She also continued to help Hector financially during college but eventually in gratitude he was able to relieve her of much expense as he progressed towards his degree. Ivette continued working at Camloc until 1993, when she suffered a severe back injury at work which prevented her from working. Having accustomed herself to regular employment and stability, she found herself depressed and uncertain about the future. She was fortunate to have her son to assist her in whatever she needed. Ivette subsequently pursued and won a disability claim which brought her some security in knowing she was compensated to some degree for her loss.

After her disability determination, she decided to formally retire and enjoy life as much as possible within her physical limits. Around this time, Hector was considering law school. With his mother’s full support and blessing he enrolled, graduated in 1997 and was admitted to the New York bar in 1999. During this time, the health of Ivette’s mother was failing quickly and this caused her to fall into depression once again. After her mom’s death in 2000, she continued to battle depression but was able to find enjoyment with close friends and family. Sadly, during a brief hospital stay to treat an infection only 18 months after her own mother’s death, Ivette passed away from renal failure on July 15, 2001. Her son since that time has endeavored to establish a fund in her memory to help single parents with the costs of attending his alma mater, with the goal that no young man in this situation should be denied this opportunity. That dream is now becoming a reality.

About Cardinal Hayes High School

Cardinal Hayes High School first opened its doors in the fall of 1941 with the goal of providing young men from the Bronx and Manhattan with a first-rate Catholic education. In time, the value of such an opportunity was soon recognized by many and even today young men in attendance hail from all 5 boroughs of New York City, Westchester County and New Jersey. Hayes provides young men with a rigorous college preparatory curriculum while also presenting them fulfilling opportunities in extra-curricular and top-ranked athletic activities. Through the generosity of alumni and friends, the school has established specialized technology, science and fine arts programs, keeping in pace with the learning needs of the 21st century. At the present time, tuition at Hayes is approximately $5,300 a year and is the lowest private school tuition in the New York area. However, a significant number of students come from households (about 50% which are single-parent) that cannot afford the costs without financial assistance from the school or outside sources.

The Hayes name has become synonymous with strong academic pride and excellence and young men consider it a special privilege to attend and graduate from such a fine institution. According to the Hayes website: “Hayes's tradition and excellence have touched the lives of over 25,000 alumni and continues to shape the lives of the present student body of nearly 1100. The Hayes tradition has prepared young men for 64 years to take their place in the world as well-prepared, well-qualified, well-prepared Christian Gentleman, well-developed leaders in whatever sphere of activity the may choose.” Notable alumni of the school include TV personality Regis Philbin, Oscar-winning film director Martin Scorcese and NASA Astronaut Mario Runco.

Learn more about the school at their website: http://www.cardinalhayes.org/.

 

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Fund Administrator:

• Hector Chavez, Esq.

 

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Donations:

All donations to the Ivette Chavez Memorial Fund (a division of CHARITYSMITH) are tax deductible in accordance with federal tax laws. Donations can be made using one of the following secure methods:

• By mail: send your donation check payable to:
  Ivette Chavez Memorial Fund
  c/o CHARITYSMITH Nonprofit Foundation
  PO Box 10750, Bainbridge Island, WA 98110


• At Wells Fargo Bank: donations can be deposited directly to the Ivette Chavez Memorial Fund. For account information, please contact CHARITYSMITH at 800-276-6546.


• Gift Card: Donate in honor of someone and we will mail a gift card directly to your family, friends, or business associates telling them you’ve made a donation in their honor. Make a Donation

• By phone: donate with a credit card by calling our office at 800-276-6546.
• Online: donate with a credit card or your PayPal/Google Checkout account by clicking one of the links below. Please note: PayPal deducts a small transaction fee from each donation. CHARITYSMITH is a Google grant recipient, and Google Checkout does not deduct a transaction fee.

• Thank you for your tax-deductible donation to CHARITYSMITH's Ivette Chavez Memorial Fund.

• You will receive a receipt by mail within one month of your donation.

  This memorial fund is established as a division of CHARITYSMITH Nonprofit Foundation EIN 87-0636433. CHARITYSMITH is dedicated to the creation and governing of memorial endeavors. All donations are tax deductible in accordance with federal tax laws.  If you have any questions regarding this donation or memorial fund, please contact CHARITYSMITH at your convenience.