Impact Stories

Sister Theodosia Lukiw has been a member of the Sisters of the Order of Saint Basil the Great, a Ukrainian Catholic religious order located in the outskirts of Philadelphia, for 73 years. SOAR! shared some of her story in a blog post a few years ago, and we decided to catch up with her. “Sister…

Sister Marie de Paul Carter professed her final vows as a Sister of St. Joseph of Buffalo in 1965. She describes herself as “a dedicated teacher among dedicated teachers.” Her ministry of special education to young children allowed her to play a significant role in their development. Her rich experience in education includes The St….

Sister Ruth Marie Soens was born Dolores Soens on July 9, 1937 in Kenosha, WI. She is the youngest of six children: three boys and three girls. One of the girls – Ruth Marie – died at age 5 of scarlet fever, before Dolores was born. In 1957, Dolores took her vows with the Sisters…

As vaccines begin to roll out across the globe, people are looking to a fresh start.  During the COVID-19 pandemic, it became clear to the Mission Helpers of the Sacred Heart in Towson, Maryland that many of their Sisters did not have access to electronic devices that support Zoom or other online communication activities. They…

As the COVID-19 pandemic took hold, it changed almost every aspect of daily life at Camilla Hall, the convent home and health care center for the Sisters, Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary in Malvern, PA. Staff and residents wore masks. Visitors and volunteers were no longer allowed to enter the building. As signs…

“I can speak for all the elder Sisters when I say that the new mini-van we have drives so smoothly and isn’t bumpy at all and most importantly we don’t have to worry about breaking down on the freeway!”

“The help our community received from SOAR! to purchase a handicap accessible van has helped me deal with being dependent.”

Last fall, the Sisters of the Monastery of the Visitation in Toledo, Ohio reached out to SOAR! with an urgent request. The boilers for the monastery, which controlled the heating system, were beyond repair. They needed a replacement before the cold winter set in.   Thanks to our donors, SOAR! was able to provide a $25,000…

A van means the Sisters can get to medical appointments more easily and stay engaged in life.

Every summer after SOAR! awards grants, we receive stacks of thank you notes in the mail from grateful religious communities. Here are just a few.