BOSTON -- Cristo Rey Boston High School, a Catholic high school in Dorchester that exclusively serves students from under-resourced communities across Greater Boston, announced the single largest donation in its history in the amount of $1 million from board member Edmund F. Murphy, III and his wife, Jennifer. Ed Murphy is the CEO of Empower Retirement and a long-time Trustee of Cristo Rey Boston (CRB).

The Murphys' donation will be directed towards school operations, with a focus on improving student nutrition and teacher compensation. A portion of the gift will be used to retain high-performing teachers at Cristo Rey Boston. This will enhance CRB's ability to build a deeper bench of teacher talent, which in turn supports a powerful culture of student success. This gift will also allow Cristo Rey Boston to enhance and supplement its school nutrition program, offering higher quality food options to support the health and wellbeing of CRB students.

"It's a simple fact that students and teachers achieve success together every day at Cristo Rey Boston. Students who are well-nourished with high-quality meals are going to have a much greater chance to achieve great things in the classroom," said Ed Murphy. "Similarly, experienced teachers who are well-nourished financially through the school's compensation program will have a greater opportunity to lead and inspire those students."

"Ed and I are proud to be able to make this gift and support Cristo Rey Boston in a way that we hope will provide an even brighter future for these deserving students," said Jennifer Murphy. "We hope this gift will inspire others to take a look at the incredible work of Cristo Rey Boston."

Murphy is an experienced leader in the financial services industry and has been involved with philanthropic efforts for many years. A graduate of Boston College, he actively supports numerous causes including Cristo Rey Boston, The Ireland Funds, and Boston Healthcare for the Homeless. Murphy is an advocate for diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts and is a founding member of Inclusive Economy and a signatory to A Day for Democracy.

"Cristo Rey attracts mission-driven teachers directly out of college. Entry-level compensation offered by Cristo Rey Boston is competitive to comparable public and private school salaries, but for more experienced teachers there is a significant divergence between the salaries offered by CRB and other schools," said Rosemary J. Powers, president of Cristo Rey Boston. "Ed and Jen's gift will have a direct impact on retaining high-performing teachers and building a team of experienced and properly supported teachers. The gift will be used in concordance with our mission of addressing systemic inequity and providing students with the tools they need to succeed."

The generous gift, in partnership with other CRB donors, will support Cristo Rey Boston's mission of providing a college preparatory education and workforce development skills to help close the opportunity gap. The school is making intentional investments in the next generation and providing students with exposure to different industries and real-life experience and skills, setting them on a path for success in college and beyond.