• History of the St. Joseph’s Community Foundation

The St. Joseph’s Community Foundation was established in 2003 by CHRISTUS Health to perpetuate the legacy of the Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word, who have served the community since 1911 and worked tirelessly to develop and support a number of local community health initiatives in Paris and surrounding communities. Prior to the sale of CHRISTUS St. Joseph’s Health System by CHRISTUS Health in 2003, the foundation operated since 1986 as the CHRISTUS St. Joseph’s Health System Foundation for the purpose of developing ongoing programs to supplement the financial resources of CHRISTUS St. Joseph’s Health System. This was accomplished through local, regional, state and national involvement. After the sale of CHRISTUS St. Joseph’s Health System to Essent Healthcare in December 2003, CHRISTUS Health transferred the assets of the CHRISTUS St. Joseph’s Health System Foundation, to the St. Joseph’s Community Foundation.

Foundation directors will continue to raise funds for various services, programs and facilities that will indirectly support the new health system. In addition, the Foundation will provide grant funding for select area programs that focus on improving the delivery of healthcare services in the Red River Valley (Lamar, Fannin, Red River, and Delta Counties in Texas, and Choctaw County in Oklahoma). In awarding grants, the St. Joseph’s Community Foundation will place a particular emphasis on programs that serve the medically under-served and those that are in financial need, and whose mission and values are compatible with those of the foundation.

• Mission of the St. Joseph’s Community Foundation

The Mission of the Foundation is to perpetuate the mission of the Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word and their 92-year tradition of improving the availability and effectiveness of medical care in the Red River Valley with a special emphasis on persons who are under-served or in financial need.