Who is the Alumnae Association?
We are an association of the alumnae of John W. Hallahan Catholic Girls’ High School Alumnae, Inc.

What does it mean to be an alumna?
An alumna is anyone who has been a student at Hallahan for two or more years.

How does this differ from a graduate?
A graduate is a woman who has finished a course of study and received a diploma from Hallahan.

Some facts about the Alumnae Association:

We were founded in June 1901, the year the first class graduated from Hallahan.

Our mission is two-fold:

1. Social – to maintain contact with classmates and our school.

2. Financial – to raise money for Hallahan.

In the beginning, the funds raised went toward the upkeep of the school. Alumnae Hall (aka the Auditorium) was one of the Alumnae Association’s projects as is the tile on the walls of the Hallahan Building. Outfitting the labs was one of the Alumnae Association’s other projects.

In the 1970’s, with the rising cost of tuition, there was a great need for tuition assistance among the families who wanted to send their daughters to Hallahan. The Alumnae Association recognized this need and switched its focus to Alumnae Scholarships. The Alumnae Association continues to sponsor Alumnae Scholarships today. As the cost of tuition continues to increase, we also provide girls with tuition assistance.

In 1996, we incorporated as a non-profit fundraising association with the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. This requires that we follow very specific guidelines set out by the State. We are also responsible to file forms every year with the State listing our fundraising activities.

In 2016, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania recognized the Alumnae Association as a 501(3)(c) charitable organization. Now, we can make use of many other fundraising activities, for example matching gift programs.

What is the difference between the Alumnae Association and the advancement/development offices of the School?
The Alumnae Association rents office space from the School. We are located in Cathedral Building, Room 311. Unlike Hallahan’s advancement/development offices, our staff volunteers their time to the Alumnae Association. They are not paid employees, of the Alumnae Association or the School.

While both entities raise funds for the benefit of our school, the Alumnae Association makes fundraising requests only twice each year:

• In January, the Alumnae Association sends outs the dues/Alumnae Fund request.

• In May, we send out the Sweepstakes chances.

Even though our fundraising efforts occur just twice a year, the Alumnae Association welcomes any free-will donations from our members throughout the year. Matching gifts, estate gifts, donations in honor of a significant life event, donations in memory of a deceased alumna are all examples of the free-will donations that the Alumnae Association has received in recent years. All donations are deposited into the Alumnae Fund, unless otherwise specified. All monies will help students receive a Hallahan education.

When sending donations to the Alumnae Association, your check should be written to Hallahan Alumnae and mailed to:

Hallahan Alumnae Association
311 North 19th Street
Room 311
Philadelphia, PA 19103

What is the contact information for the Alumnae Association?

Hallahan Alumnae Association
311 North 19th Street
Room 311
Philadelphia, PA 19103
215-568-3081