By Michael Gresham
The Texas Catholic
With pom-poms waving and thank you signs held high, students, faculty, and administrators at St. Philip & St. Augustine Catholic Academy welcomed a busload of members of The Crystal Charity Ball on Feb. 19. Joined by school board members and Diocese of Dallas Catholic schools Superintendent Jeannette Lambert, the special guests toured the southeast Dallas campus as SPSA celebrated its selection as one of eight nonprofits chosen as a 2026 The Crystal Charity Ball beneficiary.
SPSA has been selected to receive a $1 million gift in support of its “Feeding the Children” capital campaign, helping fund much-needed renovations to the school’s kitchen, which will help address food insecurity by providing students with two nutritious meals a day. In addition, the academy has received a matching $1.45 million grant from an anonymous donor.
In a prepared statement, The Crystal Charity Ball said the investment reflects the organization’s mission to strengthen students and families throughout the community.
“The mission of SPSA is transforming not only the lives of students but the well‑being of entire families in our community,” the statement said. “By investing in a fully functioning kitchen and a welcoming cafeteria, we are partnering with SPSA to ensure children are nourished, focused, and ready to learn each day. We are honored to be part of a project whose impact will extend far beyond today and create lasting change for SPSA for years to come.”
The school’s kitchen was built in 1987, but it is currently unused, St. Philip & St. Augustine Principal Dianne Brungardt said.
“It’s outdated and doesn’t meet food program standards; it doesn’t allow for vendors to cook on-site; and it’s not designed to accommodate our growing enrollment,” she said.
The financial gifts combined with school fundraising efforts offset most costs associated with a $3.5 million project that will include construction of a new kitchen and dining room as well as the purchase of upgraded kitchen equipment.
The Crystal Charity Ball’s gift is intended to create long‑term benefits for students and families.
“We hope our $1 million gift will generate a positive impact for students and families in the Pleasant Grove area,” the organization said in its statement. “Access to healthy meals strengthens not only academic performance but also the overall well‑being of families who rely on schools as a vital source of stability and support. Ultimately, we believe this investment will uplift the entire community, positively impacting students today while building a stronger foundation for families for years to come.”
Lambert said the effort reflects the heart of Catholic education and the shared responsibility to ensure students are cared for in every aspect of their lives.
“As Catholic educators, our mission is to care for the whole child. If students are hungry, how will they be able to focus and learn,” Lambert said. “SPSA’s board and school administration came together to address these needs for their students, passionately driven by this mission.”
Lambert called the school project that received the financial gifts “a sign of hope for all of our schools” in the Diocese of Dallas, adding, “We can come together to make a significant difference in the lives of our children.”
Brungardt pointed to Scripture — Matthew 25:35-40: “For I was hungry and you gave me food; I was thirsty and you gave me drink. Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me” — in outlining the needs addressed by the academy’s “Feeding the Children” capital campaign.
“Research confirms that nutritious meals are truly beneficial to students in a number of ways, including increasing overall school performance, enhancing concentration, improving memory, boosting energy levels, and expanding children’s emotional regulation,” she said. “It also reduces fear and insecurity in students, allowing all our students to have a positive school experience.”
A growing community
St. Philip & St. Augustine marks its 10-year anniversary as an academy this academic year, building on more than 70 years of serving the southeast Dallas area. St. Philip the Apostle Catholic School originally was founded in 1955 with St. Augustine Catholic School opening its door two years later in 1957. The two schools merged to form SPSA in 2015.
“From the day SPSA opened its doors, we’ve continued to see growth in our enrollment,” Brungardt said, noting that the school is home to 324 students in 2026. “We expect we will continue to grow each year until we reach our capacity of 464 students.”
Brungardt credited interest in the academy to multiple factors, including the growing desire of families seeking a quality, Catholic education.
“We are in an oasis in the Pleasant Grove area,” the principal explained. “SPSA provides a safe, faith-based environment in a neighborhood where educational options are limited.”
St. Philip & St. Augustine serves a student population that is 93% Hispanic, with 59% of those families below poverty level. According to Brungardt, more than 40% of households in Pleasant Grove earn less than $30,000 a year, with one in five children in that area considered food insecure.
With the donated funding from The Crystal Charity Ball and anonymous donor fueling construction of a new kitchen and dining room, SPSA’s principal said the academy will have the tools in place to help address these everyday concerns facing students and their families.
“We are incredibly grateful to receive their support,” Brungardt said. “The generosity our school has received from these gifts creates a sustainable program that strengthens student achievement today and for years to come.”
Cutline for featured image: Leighton Amaya, center, joins other St. Philip & St. Augustine Catholic Academy students and faculty as they cheer for The Crystal Charity Ball members arriving for a tour of the southeast Dallas school campus on Feb. 19 during SPSA’s celebration of its selection as one of eight nonprofits chosen as a 2026 The Crystal Charity Ball beneficiary. (MICHAEL GRESHAM/The Texas Catholic)
