Mission Integration – Rooted in Love, Guided by Promise
Guest Post – Gabriela Robles, Chief Mission Integration Officer, South Division, Chief Executive, St. Joseph Fund, Providence St. Joseph Health
At Providence, one of our most cherished guiding principles is our Promise, “Know me, care for me, ease my way.” As I lead the St. Joseph Fund and Providence’s mission integration efforts, I’ve come to see this Promise as more than just words. It’s a framework for how we approach our partnerships, our leadership, and our commitment to building communities that are lively, hopeful, healthy, and just.
Know Me – Understanding Our Communities
True mission integration begins with knowing the communities we serve. We seek out partners who understand their communities’ needs and assets. We prioritize partnering with organizations whose leadership teams reflect the lived experiences of those they serve. This knowledge is personal, local, and rooted in genuine relationships.
When people ask why mission integration is essential to our work, the answer is simple. It’s who we are. It’s not just an add-on or a department. It’s the core of our organization, informing how we serve, how we make decisions, and how we engage with our caregivers, patients, and communities.
Care for Me – Deepening Our Partnerships
Our approach to partnerships goes beyond traditional, transactional grantmaking. Guided by Catholic Social Teachings and rooted in love, we seek to build relationships based on trust and mutual respect. We look for partners whose values align with principles like human dignity, subsidiarity, and the common good, regardless of their faith or background.
We ask meaningful questions about potential partnerships. How do they do their work? What impact have they had? How do their approaches incorporate both the wisdom of the community and evidence-based practices? We’re always striving for relationships where we can be true collaborators rather than just funders.
Ease My Way – Creating Pathways to Impact
The final element of Providence’s Promise guides us to make pathways easier for our partners and communities. We recognize that our role isn’t just to provide funding but to create opportunities for learning and engagement and to bring others to the table. This might mean providing capacity-building support, facilitating connections, or advocating for systemic change
Our commitment to the common good drives us to address complex issues that affect all community members while staying true to our mission of serving the poor and vulnerable. We see our partnerships as opportunities not just to support important efforts but also to learn and grow alongside our community partners.
Integration in Action
Mission integration gives me a unique opportunity to combine two forces – our grantmaking through SJF and our broader mission work at Providence. This integration allows us to go deeper into our commitments to our communities, caregivers, and patients.
Whether we’re responding to disasters, supporting education initiatives, building community power, or fostering healing and resilience, our efforts are always guided by our mission and informed by Catholic Social Teachings. We believe that genuine compassion and the desire to benefit others leads to more positive outcomes for everyone involved.
As we continue to evolve and deepen our understanding of mission integration, we remain committed to our work that is rooted in love. This is our daily reminder of our commitment to serving all in need, building lasting relationships, and moving toward a future where every individual can flourish, hope, love, and grow.
Learn more about our work and mission integration, follow us on LinkedIn, or sign up for our monthly communication, “Rooted in Love.”
