Who We Are
The Catherine Donnelly Foundation, established in 2003, is the financial and human legacy of the tireless efforts of a remarkable community of religious women, The Sisters of Service, and a testament to their work in communities across Canada.
Inspired by Catherine Donnelly, foundress of the Sisters of Service whose name we have appropriated, the Foundation seeks to honour and build upon the faith, dedication and belief in the inherent dignity of the person that inspired the tradition of service, innovation and radical commitment to the needs of the poor that characterized the community's work over the last seventy-five years.
An ecumencial alliance between concerned laity and the Sisters, the Foundation is a learning organization that supports projects and programs designed to promote positive social change and to advance the position and interests of the poor and marginalized.
Our Vision
The Catherine Donnelly Foundation aspires to a world that respects and reverences creation; a world that gives place and voice to the poor; an interdependent society whose structures enable the poor to live with dignity and to realize their full potential as persons and as citizens; a community that is open to transformation and whose commitment to human solidarity ensures social and ecological justice.
Our Mission
Motivated by biblical tradition of the "preferential option for the poor" and the principles of economic, social and ecological justice, the Foundation encourages innovative projects, initiatives and programs that offer the greatest possibility for change while advancing the interests of the poor in the areas of transitional housing, adult education and the environment.
Our Values
The mission of the Foundation is rooted in the following values:
Dignity of the Person
The belief that every person has inherent dignity and worth by virtue of being created by God and therefore entitled to an equitable share of the resources of God's universe.
Spirituality of Service
Our service, marked by justice and compassion, is inspired by biblical values and Christian principles and the Gospel directive that Christ came into the world “not to be served but to serve” (Mk 10:45).
Innovative and Creative Ideas
The Foundation believes in ideas that demonstrate proactive and creative responses to needs in the three areas of funding.
Partnership
The Foundation believes that cooperative ventures with other agencies of similar values ensure a more effective service to needs in the three funding areas.
Synergy/Integration
The Foundation will be biased towards projects and initiatives that simultaneously try to address more than one of the particular needs chosen for its support in the three areas for funding.
Ecological Balance & Environmental Sustainability
The Foundation believes in the critical need for ecological balance and environmental sustainability, out of which comes a profound conviction that a fundamental shift toward a more holistic earth-centered value system is imperative.
Our Approach
In conducting its work the Catherine Donnelly Foundation:
- will give priority to programs and synergies that enable and empower the poor, as opposed to isolated or stand alone projects, or to simple provision of services;
- will support bold and innovative initiatives that offer models for imitation, or that advocate and pioneer new strategies that advance the interests of the poor and/or further ecological justice;
- will be proactive in devoting our energies and resources to initiatives that address the roots of the problem;
- will serve as a venue for debate and dialogue on innovative social solutions;
- will network, ally, and partner with social change agents and groups that share its vision and objectives.
CATHERINE DONNELLY FOUNDATION
12 Montcrest Boulevard
Toronto, Ontario • M4K 1J7
Tel: 416-461-2996 • Fax: 416-465-4193
Email: info@catherinedonnellyfoundation.org
