For more than 30 years, the Conrad N. Hilton Fund for Sisters (HFS) has awarded over $133 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.”