The Sisters of Providence of St. Vincent de Paul
Kingston, Canada

                                                                                                                                      Sr. Pauline Lally

The Sisters of Providence of St. Vincent de Paul have served the poor since the founding of the congregation in 1861, when they began providing compassionate care to the orphaned and the aged. Over the past century, their work with the poor in Canada has evolved to meet the needs of the times, and the Sisters now do hands-on ministry in soup kitchens, clothing depots, prisons, schools, and shelters for people in need. As well, the Sisters work in some of the poorest areas of Peru.

At the same time, the Sisters of Providence have felt compelled to work to overcome the root causes of poverty, in keeping with their mission statement of seeking to empower others, especially the poor and oppressed, to achieve a quality of life in keeping with their human dignity. In the early 1990s the congregation officially established a Justice and Peace office to identify and take nonviolent action on issues that affect the poor. That action includes being a voice that challenges all – from members of the congregation, to elected officials, to the general public – to become more aware of the impact everyone’s decisions have on all members of society.

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The Sisters of Providence of St. Vincent de Paul are finalists for the Canadian Environment Award.

The Sisters of the Congregation of Notre Dame
Kingston, Canada

Mission:

To live close to the reality of the impoverished, the excluded and the oppressed. In solidarity with them, we commit ourselves to participate actively in the transformation of society for a more just world.

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Kingston Community Credit Union
Kingston, Canada

The Kingston Community Credit Union is an active participant in many aspects of community development in the Greater Kingston Area. The KCCU has supported many youth programs and sport leagues, donated to many community and cultural programs, sponsored seminars which help provide the Kingston community with information about various issues in financial management, and created a special account for non-profit organizations, co-operatives and charities. Over the past five years, the KCCU has given over $750,000 back to the community, in addition to the dividends it pays KCCU members. KCCU staff are volunteers on many committees in the area. KCCU community activities were recognized with the 1999 Gary Gillam Social Responsibility Award for outstanding charitable achievement by the Ontario Credit Union Charitable Foundation.

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