Putting a face on the Foley Legacy Fund

Some of our awesome White Violet Center for Eco-Justice interns.

The Foley Legacy Fund is making a difference for people in need and for the future of the Sisters of Providence. This fund is designed to support the mission and ministries of Sisters of Providence into the future. The Foley Legacy Fund invites Sisters of Providence, Providence Associates or individuals working with a Sisters of Providence ministry to apply for support. The Foley Legacy Fund has enriched and supported much good this year. The Foley Legacy Fund supports all Sisters of Providence ministries. The following stories are just a few examples of how the Foley Legacy Fund has helped the sisters further their mission.

Special Religious Development (SPRED) Ministry, Chicago

Special needs church members and their mentors engage in special religious development activities.

The SPRED ministry which Sister Susanne Gallagher, SP, helped to create and continues to minister with, works with 344 parishes in the Archdiocese of Chicago to welcome members with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Without SPRED, most of the service recipients are not able to fully participate in their faith. The Foley Legacy Fund provided support to help SPRED recruit volunteers to form small faith communities within parishes. These faith communities are welcoming people whose intellectual and developmental disabilities prevented them from fully enjoying the sacraments. Families testify to the joy their family member’s experience in a supportive, spiritual environment. Catechists and priests also tell how parishioners have been positively influenced by witnessing their fellow parishioners as they develop spiritually.

Providence Cristo Rey, Indianapolis

Keme L. Henderson, MSW, LSW School Social Worker

The Foley Legacy Fund helped Sisters of Providence sponsored Providence Cristo Rey High School in Indianapolis hire a social worker. The school is a Catholic, coeducational, college-preparatory school providing a transformational educational experience for students with economic need in the inner city. The school strives to empower challenged students to change the trajectory of their lives in order to break the cycle of poverty for them and their families. The Foley Legacy Fund has made the social worker position a reality. This needed position is helping students with depression, problems at home, peer challenges, food insecurity, and more. This support person also helps with the risk prevention team by providing insight into the challenges being faced by all students.

White Violet Center for Eco-Justice, Saint Mary-of-the-Woods

The Foley Legacy Fund makes a difference for the White Violet Center for Eco-Justice by providing needed financial support for the internship program. Interns, pictured top right, are at the heart of White Violet’s work. They work the garden, care for animals, prepare items for sale, process alpaca fiber and a host of other tasks that help support the Congregation financially. Interns also bring ideas and practical solutions for making the ministry stronger and more sustainable. Internships also foster strong bonds with the Congregation. A few former interns have become members of the SP community or Providence Associates.

You are part of the future!

When you support the Foley Legacy Fund, you are helping to ensure the Congregation will have the much-needed personnel, programs and buildings along with grounds maintenance needed to operate the ministries today and into the future. You can learn more about the Foley Legacy Fund by visiting More ways to give or calling us at 812-535-2800.

In addition to your annual gift, you can consider a planned gift or special gift to help the Foley Legacy fund grow.

Learn more about the planned giving.

(Originally published in the Fall 2018 issue of HOPE magazine.)