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 from 1911-2003 and worked tirelessly to develop and support a number of local community health initiatives in Paris and surrounding communities. The ninety-two year history of the Sisters’ work touched countless lives.

Each year in November, the Foundation holds a Remembrance Ceremony to honor the Sisters who toiled here in Paris. The Remembrance Ceremony begins with a special Mass at Our Lady of Victory Catholic Church and concludes with a special blessing at Evergreen Cemetery. Twenty-five Sisters are burried in Paris’ Evergreen Cemetery and the Foundation has been charged with the perpetual care of their resting place.