Bridges to Health: U.S. Daughters of Charity, Seton Institute, and Funding Primary Health Care Activities in Latin America, 1985–2010

Abstract

Daughters of Charity in California founded the Seton Institute for International Development in 1985 to support the efforts of Catholic sisters striving to improve the health of those struggling in poverty in Latin America. The institute offered training, disaster relief, medical equipment, and grants for capacity-building projects. Positioned as a fundraising and grant distributing entity, Seton Institute solicited funds from government sources, corporate sponsors, and individual donors. Leaders sought to balance their need for funds with the commitments of their charism. As the expectations and priorities of U.S. government-funded programs and Latin American sisters did not always align, Seton Institute chose to put the desires of Catholic sisters first and shifted efforts towards private aid. These Daughters of Charity prioritized building transnational relationships that reinforced their community's mission to serve those in poverty rather than accept funds from any available resource.