In this episode of the Creating Future Leaders Podcast, Deb Preach and Nancy Padberg interview Anthony Sarandrea, one of the leading customer generators worldwide. Sarandrea is the president and CEO of SiteFlood, and he’s routinely featured as one of the top 30 under-30 entrepreneurs. As the son of a Catholic school teacher and a former NYPD officer, Sarandrea is also a major supporter of the Arizona tax credit program through Catholic Education Arizona.
Supporting Underserved Students as a Business Leader
Sarandrea says, “Faith is the main framework that enabled him to be successful and a loyal tax credit contributor to Catholic Education Arizona. CEA enables business leaders to direct their tax dollars to a cause they support and invest in a child’s Catholic education. Investing in the younger generation can change the world.”
Approximately 13.5% of Arizona’s population lives below the poverty line as of 2019. Directing tax dollars enables you to provide underprivileged children with opportunities they may not otherwise have access to. And every student, Preach says, should have access to a quality education regardless of their family income.
Making a Difference at Notre Dame Prep
Sarandrea recently attended a game at his alma mater, Notre Dame Prep, and was able to see the work he’s been contributing. The experience gave him chills, Sarandrea says, and it’s incredible to know that children will gain the benefits of a traditional education system along with the advantages of a new age education. The school also recently opened a new performance center, the Pitre Family Theater, a 20,000-square-foot building consisting of a recording studio for video production classes and classrooms for vocal and instrumental instruction.
Directing Tax Dollars
By directing tax dollars toward Catholic education, Sarandrea and other business leaders are able to support the students of Notre Dame Prep and other Catholic schools in Arizona. Moreover, directing tax dollars is incredibly easy and doesn’t cost donors any additional money. The CEA program takes already-paid taxes to the state and directs them toward providing Catholic scholarships to underserved students.
Additionally, signing up to direct your tax dollars is easy as well. The form is short and takes approximately five minutes to fill out. Sarandrea says many business owners have a bookkeeper, CPA, or fractional CFO who can also fill out the form for record-keeping, making the filing process even easier for business leaders who are looking to make a difference in students’ lives.
If you’d like to direct your tax dollars to support a child’s Catholic education like the students at Notre Dame Prep, don’t hesitate to contact Catholic Education Arizona at (602) 218-6542 or visit ceaz.org.
