Our Mission

The Mission of the Sisters of Charity Foundation is to provide support for and financial assistance to community initiatives that will benefit poor and marginalised people.

We are committed to respond creatively to the current and emerging needs of the poor with the history, values and charism of the Sisters of Charity guiding our decision making.

Community Grants Program

Every year the Foundation provides individual grants of up to $15,000 to a range of innovative community projects that break down social isolation and alleviate the impact of poverty on individuals and families. Our grants have been used to support a wide range of people, including poor and disadvantaged Australians, people living with disabilities, at-risk youth, refugees and asylum seekers, Indigenous Australians, homeless people, elderly people, prison-affected and substance abuse-affected.

The Foundation has provided more than $8,000,000 to 850+ projects since 2000.

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Tertiary Scholarship Program

Only 3% of young people who are unable to grow up at home safely with their birth parents pursue education after high school, compared to 40% of other young people. In 2012 the Foundation launched the Tertiary Scholarship Program to empower dedicated students from out-of-home-care backgrounds to transform their lives through education.

Our financial support means our scholarship recipients can afford study expenses such as course fees and textbooks, as well as the cost of living on their own with no parental support.

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Asylum Seekers Housing Program

More than 70% of asylum seekers receive no government support, often leaving them at risk of homelessness. The Foundation formed a partnership with the Asylum Seekers Centre to provide safe accommodation and welfare services to dozens of displaced people every year.

In 2014 the Foundation invested $2,360,000 in the purchase and renovation of a residential building, Providence House, in Sydney’s Inner West. This residence now provides emergency and transitional housing for asylum seekers facing homelessness, along with support services including medical and legal assistance, education and training, and job search support.

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Modern Slavery Transitional Housing Program

There are an estimated 15,000 people living in slavery-like conditions in Australia today. Our newest program was launched in February 2020, when we partnered with The Salvation Army to provide housing assistance for victims of slavery and human trafficking in Australia.

In this unique model, survivors are involved in choosing where they get to live. They are supported by caseworkers until they get to a point of independence where they are able to take over the leases themselves and create a permanent home.

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