By Katie Montes, MSW,
Executive Director of Mary’s Mantle

May 15, 2025, Detroit – Mary’s Mantle, a home for expectant mothers located in Metro Detroit, opened in 2010. It is a nonprofit organization and an apostolate of the Archdiocese of Detroit that provides housing for up to four expectant mothers at a time, regardless of religious affiliation. The women must be at least 18 years old with no other children in their care. They can stay at Mary’s Mantle for up to one year while they work on their educational, vocational, spiritual, and emotional goals.

The Adrian Dominican Sisters’ Portfolio Advisory Board (PAB) on April 3, 2025, unanimously approved a loan request for expansion of operation to first-time recipient Mary’s Mantle. 

Jackie came to Mary’s Mantle in August 2022 when she was four months pregnant. At the time, she was homeless and needed support. Jackie gave birth to her beautiful daughter Karasi (affectionally called Roz) in January 2023. She stayed at Mary’s Mantle for eight months.  

While working with her case manager, Jackie reached many goals, including maintaining her career as a pharmacy technician. The Mary’s Mantle staff faithfully provided the necessary workplace transportation so that Jackie could save money to pay off her tickets and get her license reinstated. 

As the time for her transition to more independence neared, Jackie applied for and was given financial assistance from a Mary’s Mantle fund to buy a reliable vehicle. What a precious honor it was for staff to stand in the driveway and tearfully wave goodbye to a buckled-up, ready-to-roll driver and the little girl peeking out from her car seat! 

Jackie and Roz moved out of Mary’s Mantle in April 2023. Jackie has stayed active in the After Care Program, often attending Sunday Suppers and other events to stay connected. Just last month, Jackie came to dinner and game night at the house, where she beautifully engaged with the current moms in the program. She shared her ups and downs of being in the program and provided a listening ear. What a gift to witness her giving back to the program that once supported her! 

Jackie continues to send photos and keep staff updated on how she and Roz are thriving. “Mary’s Mantle was in my corner when I needed someone to lean on the most,” she said. “I was able to achieve so many goals during my stay. Two of the main goals I was able to accomplish were getting my license back and purchasing a reliable vehicle. I am forever grateful for Mary’s Mantle and each of the staff that supported me.”
 

Caption for above feature photo: Jackie and her daughter Karasi benefited from their time at Mary’s Mantle.
Photos Courtesy of Mary’s Mantle

By Sister Marilín Llanes, OP
Director, Portfolio Advisory Board Office

Photo Courtesy of Inclusiv

June 12, 2024, New York, New York – A high-spirited celebration took place this May in New York City, hosted by Inclusiv on its 50th anniversary. Inclusiv has been a community partner since 1982 of the Adrian Dominican Sisters’ Portfolio Advisory Board (PAB), which provided capital that launched its first impact investment.  

Inclusiv invests funds into community development credit unions to support lending, wealth building, and financial inclusion initiatives in low-income and underserved communities throughout the United States and beyond.
 
The Inclusiv gathering of more than 800 partners and colleagues commemorated an amazing milestone, reimagining opportunities and pathways toward a more equitable and inclusive present and future for generations. 

Many voices that have been formative to the movement were present, including the Adrian Dominican Sisters, represented at the event by Sister Durstyne Farnan, OP. Leaders from a vast cross-section of community investors shared their insights and commitments to social justice and created investments throughout the three-day event. 

Additional comments and highlights of the partnership between Inclusiv and the PAB were featured in Inclusiv’s 2023 Annual Report, reproduced below with permission.

First In: Our Long Partnership with the Adrian Dominican Sisters

In 1982, federal support for Community Development Credit Unions (CDCUs) was waning. Inclusiv, then known as the National Federation of Community Development Credit Unions, began searching for outside investors. The Adrian Dominican Sisters became our first – providing a $30,000 loan that laid the foundation for a new capitalization program and cemented our role as a Community Development Financial Intermediary.

Some 42 years later, the partnership with the Adrian Sisters continues. Sister Marilín Llanes, Director of the Sisters’ Portfolio Advisory Office, shared that our continued relationship is about more than just familiarity – it’s about values.

“Our relationship with Inclusiv has always been about aligning ourselves with a partner that shares the same values that we do,” she said. “It’s about our commitment to respond to the social injustice of our time. It’s about women, people of color, Indigenous people, the LGBTQ+ community, and anyone who has experienced marginalization. WE want to be there and to help them prosper.”

In recent years, the Adrian Dominican Sisters have deepened their commitment to not only social but also environmental stewardship. They recognize that ecological sustainability is inextricably linked to social justice and have begun to prioritize investments that reflect this understanding. This evolution of their investment strategy resonates with Inclusiv’s expanding focus on environmental sustainability and climate justice.
 
After 42 years, Sister Marilín sees a long road ahead for this relationship.

“I see Inclusiv as a long-term partner of ours in the mission to bring about what the Scripture calls ‘beloved community,’” she shared. “Our relationship has been so supportive and I look forward to the next thing I’ll learn through the incredible community that Inclusiv has built.”

Reprinted with permission from the Inclusiv 2023 Annual Report