Catholic Church creates vouchers for low-income students
By Nelson Garcia 
 

 DENVER, June 9, 2006 (www.9news.com)  -  Archbishop Charles Chaput says private schools should be more accessible to poor families. Thursday, he announced a program making that possible.

"Many people who want to go to Catholic school haven't been able to do so," said Archbishop Chaput.  "And, so we're committed to do what we can in an ongoing way to make Catholic elementary and secondary available, accessible, and affordable."

The church will issue 250 vouchers worth $3,000 each. 

Students will receive them over four years to attend any Catholic school with enough room.  The vouchers will cover most tuition costs, but families will still have to pay something. 

The vouchers were made possible by a $3 million grant from the Seeds of Hope Charitable Trust, a group that works primarily to support Catholic schools.

"The real goal of this thing is to bring kids and families who may have been 10 feet away from assistance, to throw them that 10 feet of rope," said John Harpole, with Seeds of Hope.