It was founded in 1908 by members of the Sisters of St. Francis of Penance and Christian Charity who had previously since 1874 been based in nearby Buffalo, New York. The sisters practice the values of St. Francis by caring for and conserving nature while living quite humbly. The sisters work to help and teach their community and many other countries around the world, such as Chiapas, Mexico, and Tanzania, about the work and teachings of God.