Welcome to Change for Global Change
Our Lifesaving Work
Who We Are
Change for Global Change is a 501(c)(3) organization founded by the Sisters of Saint Joseph of Philadelphia in 2006 as a practical way to respond to the needs of Earth and those who lack the means for a sustainable life. In union with our Sisters and Associates of the U.S. Federation and the worldwide “Family of St. Joseph” we serve the “dear neighbor” – every person on the planet – by doing all we can to make our home, Earth, sustainable for all. The climate crisis we now face affects everyone, but the world’s poorest people are suffering the most. Change for Global Change focuses on water, the primary need to sustain life, because nearly one-third of the population suffers from water scarcity.
What We Do
The mission of Change for Global Change is two-fold – education and action:
- Awareness – This website, along with our Facebook and Instagram posts, provides ongoing education about the people and places that lack basic necessities and the means to acquire them. We tell their stories and provide a wide range of information and activities from numerous websites to inform ourselves and others about situations that are so different from our own.
- Fundraising – With the help of many donors we provide grants for places where Sisters and Associates of Saint Joseph work with the people to organize communities and develop skills to accomplish the projects that bring more stability and sustainability to their lives. The projects we fund include access to water for drinking, agriculture, cottage industries, etc. in villages, schools and hospitals.
Join Us
We welcome your partnership in this important work, in all ways. Becoming involved can include making a donation, helping us educate others, or joining us in making small but ecologically-impactful changes at home that celebrate and heal our amazing planet Earth.
Board of Directors
Dannah Addalli, SSJ Associate in Mission
Sister Donna Breslin, SBS JPIC Liaison
Katherine Finke, SSJ Associate in Mission
Sister Margaret Jude Sullivan, SSJ
Sister Susie Thornton, SSJ
Sister Dorothy Urban, SSJ
Mary Vanderhoof, SSJ Associate in Mission
Sister Maryanne Zakreski, SSJ
Laudato Si! Laudate Deum! Praise God! ~ Pope Francis Started a Movement and Urges Us to Join!
Ten years ago, Pope Francis wrote this informative and inspiring encyclical that presents a holistic analysis of the climate crisis. He urged government and corporate leaders to examine the decisions that have had, and continue to have, negative consequences for creation – humans, animals and the entire natural world.
Many nations have united to set standards that protect the environment, but much more needs to happen if the planet and so many endangered species (including humans!) will survive and thrive. Eight years after Laudato Si, Pope Francis wrote a follow-up urgent message, Laudate Deum, that one writer describes as “a prophetic scream of sorrow and a call to action.”
The current Pope Leo XIV has expressed his commitment to furthering the initiatives of Pope Francis and the Laudato Si Movement. He stresses that environmental stewardship is not only a responsibility but also a moral imperative, urging everyone to take action to protect the environment for future generations. This commitment is evident in his support for sustainable practices and his advocacy for global cooperation in addressing ecological challenges.
At the start of the 2025 Season of Creation, Pope Leo celebrated a new Liturgy for the “Care of Creation” and officially opened the Vatican’s Ecological Training Center at Castel Gandolfo, a project begun by Pope Francis.
This video is a brief description of Borgo Laudato Si:
