Saint Edmond’s Academy, the elementary and middle school for boys located in Brandywine Hundred, has received a $3 million donation from the Rocco A. and Mary Abessinio Foundation.
This is the largest unrestricted gift in the school’s history, which dates back more than 60 years, according to school officials.
Rocco and Mary Abessinio have a deep connection to Saint Edmond’s. One of their sons and five of their grandsons have received an education there.
“Our hope is that this gift will enable Saint Edmond’s Academy to continue their mission of educating the hearts and minds of young men in a community of faith,” Rocco Abessinio said in a statement.
The gift will help Saint Edmond’s advance its mission through “strategic capital improvements and innovative programs,” ensuring that the school’s legacy will endure for generations to come, said Domenic Maiorano, the head of school.
Abessinio has long supported education and other endeavors in Delaware and beyond. His philanthropy includes Abessinio Stadium in Wilmington, St. Rocco’s Parish in Avondale, Pa., the Boca Raton Regional Hospital Power Plant in Florida, and the Beebe Healthcare Abessinio Health Campus in Rehoboth Beach. The Saint Edmond’s campus will be renamed in honor of the Abessinios.
