The Story of CDF
Transforming the lives of those in underinvested communities by supporting innovative solutions in housing, adult education and the environment.
- Our mission & vision
- Our story
- Our team
- Careers
On this Page
Our vision
Committed to respect for the life and dignity of creation and all peoples, the Catherine Donnelly Foundation’s vision is to collaborate with others to create a world where everyone has a voice and the opportunity to realize their full potential, a world open to dignity, transformation, justice, and peace.
Our mission
The Foundation strives to transform the lives of the underserved by supporting initiatives in the areas of access to housing, the environment, and civic engagement for social change. We achieve this by funding, ethical investing and collaborating with organizations across Canada.
Our Story
Established in 2003, the Catherine Donnelly Foundation is the human and financial legacy of the Sisters of Service, a remarkable group of women religious. The Foundation is a living testament to the Sisters' tradition of response to need in communities across Canada.
The Foundation honours and builds upon the spirit of service and dedication that inspired Catherine Donnelly, the founder of the community. It affirms the inherent dignity of every person and the sacredness of creation. It seeks to extend the Sisters' radical commitment to social change and to empower the marginalized.
The Foundation is a lay-religious alliance that supports projects and programs designed to promote social and ecological justice and to engage those that have been overlooked and excluded.
Meet Catherine Donnelly
Born in Alliston, Ontario on February 26, 1884, Catherine Donnelly studied education and after teaching in her home province, moved to rural Alberta in 1918 to instruct the children of immigrant families. Shortly after her arrival, the Spanish influenza epidemic swept across Western Canada and schools were closed. Catherine volunteered to nurse the sick in their homes and became aware of a lack of spiritual and material resources for families and their children.
A devout Roman Catholic, Catherine's experience demonstrated to her that the church in Western Canada was ill-prepared to serve the increasing numbers of new Canadian settlers. That recognition led to the founding in Toronto in 1922 of the Sisters of Service, a Catholic Religious Order dedicated to caring for newcomers.
Catherine's gift was a holistic approach to life and mission, seeing the spiritual, social and cultural needs of all people and a way of being church where the church was not present.
The Sisters of Service lived in small groups in scattered settlements, ministering to those most in need; they taught in public schools and by correspondence, operated small rural hospitals, provided immigration services at the ports of entry to Canada and established hostels in the major cities. Cooperating with public agencies, the Sisters helped those most in need take their place in Canadian society.
Sister Catherine Donnelly died at the Sisters of Service Retirement Centre in St. Catharines, Ontario on September 5, 1983.
For more information on the Sisters of Service visit their website at sistersofservice.ca.
Our approach to systems change
The Catherine Donnelly Foundation is committed to promoting positive social change by funding and financing initiatives related to the environment, housing and homelessness as well as adult education. Our efforts are intended to promote joint action and networking by helping organizations work together and build on one another's strengths to pursue radical systems change.
Our Team
Adrienne Van Veggel
Human Resource Committee resource person
Oakville, ON
Anne Mark
Director of Programs
Toronto, ON
Anne-Marie Jackson
Board member, Civic Engagement for Social Change Committee and Chair of the Governance Committee
Toronto, ON
Anthony (Tony) Chang
Board Member, CHSO Designate, Investment and Governance Committees
Toronto, ON
Christopher Hrynkow
Board member, Environment and Finance Committees
Saskatoon, SK
Claire Barcik
Executive Director
Toronto, ON
Dallas Alderson
Board member, Chair of the Housing Committee
Gatineau, PQ
Devika Shah
Board member, Secretary, Governance Committee
Toronto, ON
Eric Tusz-King
Board Member, Housing and Human Resources Committees
Sackville, NB
Faraz Ahsan Syed
Investment Committee resource person
Oakville, ON
Gail Thornhill
Board member, Housing Commitee
St. John's, NL
Gladys Yam
Board member, Treasurer, Chair of the Finance Commitee
Toronto, ON
Hamshaa Sivaruban
Grants and Logistics Coordinator
Toronto, ON
Jayce Chiblow
Environment Committee resource person
Jeeniraj JJ Thevasagayam
Housing Committee resource person
Toronto, ON
Jo Reynolds
Investment Committee resource person
Kingston, ON
Kelly Holmes
Board Member, Human Resource and Housing Committees
Winnipeg, MB
Kjeld Mizpah (KJ) Conyers-Steede
Civic Engagement for Social Change Committee resource person
Hantsport, NS
Lara Hoshizaki
Environment Committee resource person
Sinixt, Ktunaxa and syilx territories (Nelson, BC)
Malkeet Sandhu
Environment Committee resource person
Brampton, ON
Mary Halder
Honorary Elder
Toronto, ON
Rejwan Karim
Civic Engagement for Social Change Committee resource person
Toronto, ON
Richard Morgan
Board member, Chair of the Board, Civic Engagement for Social Change Committee
Ottawa, ON
Shelley Cahill
Financial Administrator
Toronto, ON
Sherry Yano
Board Member, Chair of the Environment Committee
Vancouver, BC
Sr. Janet Speth, CSJ
Board member, Civic Engagement for Social Change and Investment Committees
Toronto, ON
Steve Brearton
Communications & Policy Officer
Toronto, ON
Sucheta Rajagopal
Board member, Vice-Chair of the Board, Chair of the Investment Committee, Environment Committee
Toronto, ON
Tessa Hebb
Investment Committee resource person
Ottawa, ON
Vivian Do
Finance Committee resource person
Toronto, ON
Yousuf Najmee
Director of Finance and Investment
Toronto, ON
Careers
Join The Catherine Donnelly Foundation to support bold systems change in Canada
At the Catherine Donnelly Foundation you have the opportunity to use your unique talents to bring about bold systems change. Based in Toronto, we are a national foundation that transforms the lives of those most in need by supporting innovation in housing, adult education and the environment.
We are a small, creative and busy team that promises a collaborative, flexible and fun work environment. The Catherine Donnelly Foundation is committed to building a diverse and inclusive workplace and encourage Black, Indigenous, Persons of Colour), newcomers and those under 40 to apply for positions.
We post career, board of director and committee opportunities below and on social media, so please follow us on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn. You can also stay updated on the Foundation’s activities through our e-newsletter.
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