About Us
Our Mission
The Conrad N. Hilton Fund for Sisters honors the desire of Conrad Hilton to support the work of Roman Catholic sisters around the world. In his last will and testament, Conrad Hilton characterized the sisters as “protectors and defenders” of children, and encouraged generosity to their schools, hospitals and places of worship. We reflect this legacy in our continued commitment to support the apostolic works of sisters in their direct service to the vulnerable and disadvantaged within the context of the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
Our Story
A visionary businessman responsible for building the largest hotel real estate empire of his time and the first American international hotel company, Conrad N. Hilton was also a visionary philanthropist committed to world peace and economic stability. In 1986, the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation established the Conrad N. Hilton Fund for Sisters (HFS) specifically to support the apostolic work of Roman Catholic women religious in accordance with his last will and testament:
“Be ever watchful for the opportunity to shelter little children with the umbrella of your charity; be generous to their schools, their hospitals and their places of worship. Give aid to their protectors and defenders, the sisters, who devote their love and life’s work for the good of mankind, for they appeal especially to me of being deserving of help from the Foundation.”
For more than 30 years, HFS has awarded over $175 million to sisters’ projects throughout the world. This has been possible thanks to the generosity of Conrad N. Hilton, the hotel pioneer who gave the bulk of his personal fortune to the foundation that bears his name. In his last will and testament, Hilton stated:
“There is a natural law, a Divine law, which obliges you and me to relieve the suffering, the distressed and the destitute. Charity is a supreme virtue, and the great channel through which the mercy of God is passed on to mankind.”
Hilton singled out sisters, who devote their love and life’s work for the good of humankind, as especially deserving of the foundation’s help and support. Being impressed by their focus on mission and their unusual ability to stretch the dollar to its maximum, he favored their commitment over “organized, professional charities with high-salaried executives and a heavy ratio of expense.”
From Our Executive Director
I am inspired by and grateful every day for the commitment and leadership of Catholic sisters who partner with the Conrad N. Hilton Fund for Sisters in Africa, Asia, Europe, Oceania, and the Americas. Since our founding in 1986, the Fund has supported the apostolic work of sisters ministering to underserved populations globally. The sisters and their collaborators on the front lines are a force for good and hope as they work tirelessly to combat poverty, violence, lack of drinking water, trafficking, and illiteracy and provide basic healthcare for babies, children, and the elderly.
As the world struggles with fundamental human rights and equity for all, the Fund for Sisters continues to work diligently to support those suffering injustices regardless of ethnicity, race, or location.
Our hearts are always open, and our work is never done.
Gina Marie Blunck, SND
Executive Director