Sisters of Charity Foundation of Canton

The Sisters of Charity Foundation of Canton is a ministry of the Sisters of Charity Health System and is based upon the gospel values, Catholic social teachings, and the charitable mission of the Sisters and the Roman Catholic Church. CAF's focus is to address the needs of the poor and underserved by understanding the root causes of poverty, nurturing the growth of healthy communities emphasizing youth and family and measuring the outcomes of these efforts.

CAF has a long-time commitment to improving early education and care in Stark County and beyond. Programs to improve the quality of young children's early learning experiences outside of the home as well as programs that focus on families as children's first teachers are supported. Along with leading local efforts in early childhood, CAF works across the state and country to affect policy changes and support system building for young children and families. The majority of CAF's early childhood funding is dedicated to supporting a local resource center, a kindergarten readiness program, professional development for teachers and family support programs.

CAF has focused significant funding and staff resources on Stark County's Homeless Continuum of Care and has helped to establish the Stark Housing Network, a not-for-profit organization dedicated to this work. Communities are required to establish Continuums of Care in order to apply for, receive, and monitor federal and state funding for homeless services. Along with grants targeting specific housing projects, CAF has provided leadership in local and state boards and committees.

The Sisters of Charity Foundation has a goal to strengthen Stark County's mental health system to ensure high-quality services and fiscally strong organizations are available to those in need, by offering technical assistance and capacity building to local providers and connecting with local and state partners as needed.