Help Send Pablo to St. Benedict's Prep!

Pablo is a soccer-enthusiast, cook, hiker, helper, awesome big brother, tio chiquito, and more.

He has the biggest heart in the world, and is curious about everything.

Pablo always has a big smile on his face, no matter what he's been dealt.

But, the last few years have not been easy for him or his brother.

After losing their father to COVID-19 in 2020, Pablo has had to move from one school and one home to the next. While coping with the sudden loss of his dad, he became even more motivated to stay invested in his studies and with soccer, which isn't easy for a 11-year old boy. We encouraged him to ask questions, ask for help and support when he needed it, and always keep his eye on the prize.

And, he did. Pablo started working at the local pizza place owned by his godparents, and found opportunities to stay busy outside of school, whether it was spending time with friends, babysitting his younger siblings, hanging out with neighborhood dogs, coming on camping trips with us, or just talking on the phone. He attended all his soccer games, playing for multiple leagues, as he donned number 62, the age his father was when he died. Pablo always gave it his all, even when he was the only kid playing without any adults there to cheer him on, his biggest supporter no longer there to encourage him from the sidelines.

But, things only got harder. Pablo has dealt with many hardships in his life, but always perservered. After his father died, a half-brother that he had recently connected with tragically lost his life before Pablo ever got the chance to meet him.

But, Pablo kept his head up. He always stayed positive, reached out when he needed help, and asked about what his future could look like. We communicated with his teachers and social workers to ensure Pablo was getting the support he needed academically and emotionally.

Before we left for Portugal, Pablo voiced yet again his desire to grow up and get an education, go to college, work hard, and see the world. He wants to be a soccer player, but also is interested in other jobs - a chef, business-owner, accounting, etc.

We spoke to Pablo about potentially applying to private schools and if that's something he'd be interested in. Even with all the chaos around him, we told him he'd have to work hard in school and keep his attendance up; something that can be hard for children depending on where they live and their situation at home.

We helped Pablo apply to schools, and navigate orientations and interviews and applications all from Portugal. Then, we got the news! Pablo got into St. Benedict's - a top school in Newark, New Jersey, that also has an amazing soccer program.

Pablo is thrilled to have been accepted to St. Benedict's, and has spent the last few months of this school year looking forward to next year. However, Pablo understands this will only be possible if we can raise the funds - which he is working towards himself, too.

This has kept Pablo going, even when - unbelievably - he came home from school in May to learn that his home was on fire. The school bus driver helped him and his brother, who thankfully were not yet in the home - and neither was any one else - before it burnt to the ground. Pablo is now living with his older siblings while his mom gets settled in a new home, which is hopefully where he'll be commuting from in the fall.

Attending St. Benedict's will be an amazing opportunity and much needed change of scenery for Pablo.

While Pablo is lucky to have A LOT of family members who love him and wll be putting our resources together to support him, it will only go so far. Our goal is to raise $5,000. Pablo will need to cover tuition after financial aid, as well as transportation to and from school, uniform, etc.

Pablo understands this is a huge amount of money to ask for, and we have set some very firm requirements for his academics if he attends this fall.

Thank you for your help!