By Maru Gómez
Lending Specialist, Camino Loan Fund 
 
Introduction by Sister Marilín M. Llanes, OP
Director of Portfolio Advisory Board

The Hispanic and Immigrant Center of Alabama (¡HICA!) is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) community development and advocacy organization that serves Latino and immigrant families throughout Alabama. Founded in 1999, ¡HICA! supports more than 3,500 families each year through programs that promote economic opportunity, civic engagement, and social justice. Through its emerging Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI), the Camino Loan Fund, ¡HICA! provides access to capital for Latino, immigrant, and low- to moderate-income entrepreneurs, helping foster inclusive economic growth. 

On July 8, 2026, Members of the Adrian Dominican Sisters Portfolio Advisory Board (PAB), approved a low-interest loan of $200,000 to increase the lending capacity of the Camino Loan Fund, a first-time recipient. The fund is dedicated to providing responsible small business loans to low- to moderate-income entrepreneurs throughout Birmingham, Alabama, and the surrounding region, creating pathways to business ownership and economic stability. 

As a certified CDFI, Camino’s mission-driven approach closely aligns with the Adrian Dominican Sisters Enactment on Diversity, which calls for building “the beloved community in which everyone is cared for, absent of poverty, hunger, and hate.” By expanding access to affordable capital, Camino helps address barriers that have historically limited opportunities for many aspiring entrepreneurs. 

Maru Gómez, Lending Specialist with the Camino Loan Fund, shares a compelling story that illustrates the impact of this work. Through its lending program, Camino is creating opportunities for individuals and communities that have often been excluded from traditional financial systems, empowering entrepreneurs to launch and grow businesses that strengthen their families and communities.

This partnership reflects a shared commitment to economic justice, inclusion, and community development, demonstrating how mission-driven investments can help build a more equitable future for all.
 
Iralis Matute and Annerys Tortolero, founders of Genova Event Planner LLC, were born and raised in Valencia, Carabobo, Venezuela. Like many families starting over in a new country, their journey came with challenges, uncertainty, and major adjustments. They came to the United States hoping to build a more stable future and create new opportunities for themselves and their families.
 
Iralis first traveled through Central America, spending time in Panama, where she began expressing her creativity through decorations and event setups under the name “Eleven Decoration.” Her journey eventually brought her to Louisiana in October 2023, where she began building a new life while working in construction and other jobs.
 
Annerys arrived in the United States earlier and made Alabama her home. Before settling there, she lived in Costa Rica, where she developed experience in baking, catering, and serving customers. Her background in business administration later became an important strength as the sisters began building their business together.
 
After reuniting in 2023, the sisters combined their talents and passion to launch their event-planning business. Iralis brought her creativity and love for decoration, while Annerys contributed her administrative knowledge and organizational skills. Together, they saw an opportunity to serve their community through birthdays, holidays, and meaningful family celebrations.
 
Like many new entrepreneurs, they faced significant barriers. They lacked the tools and equipment needed to deliver the level of quality they envisioned, while finding reliable suppliers and building a client base required time and persistence. To move their business forward, they applied for support through Camino Loan Fund.
 
Camino pairs responsible lending capital with bilingual business technical assistance so entrepreneurs are positioned for long-term success. Camino’s relationship-based underwriting model looks beyond traditional financial metrics by considering an entrepreneur’s character, business viability, experience, and commitment to growth. This approach is designed to reduce barriers that often exclude immigrant, minority, women, and low-income entrepreneurs from traditional financing.
 
Iralis and Annerys initially expected the process to be difficult, but they were surprised by how smooth, responsive, and supportive it was. With Camino’s support, they purchased essential tools, including printers and computers with the capacity needed for design work. They are also developing a website that will allow clients to request quotes online, improving efficiency and the customer experience.
 
Since receiving support in early 2026, Genova Event Planner LLC has already begun to grow. The sisters have successfully organized two events. More importantly, they have received positive feedback from their clients, who highlight that the sisters consistently exceed expectations with their dedication and attention to detail.
 
Beyond financial growth, the business has had a meaningful personal impact on their lives. They now feel supported and empowered, with a sense of security that allows them to respond quickly to client needs without the constant stress of limited resources. What once felt uncertain now feels achievable, and they are more confident in their ability to continue building their future. As Iralis shared, “My creativity now is flying.” 
 
Looking ahead, the sisters plan to build a consistent calendar of personal and corporate events, obtain the permits needed to offer full catering services, and eventually open a showroom and hire employees in the next three to five years.
 
Their story demonstrates how flexible capital and culturally responsive support can expand inclusive ownership opportunities. Through Genova Event Planner LLC, Iralis and Annerys are not only building a business; they are creating a pathway toward long-term ownership, household wealth, economic self-determination, and a more secure future for their families.

 

Caption for above feature photo: From left, Maru Gómez, the author, presents a large-sized replica of a check to clients Iralis Matute and Annerys Tortolero, founders of Genoa Event Planner, LLC. Photo courtesy of the Camino Loan Fund

By Ciara Feehely, Head of Communications and Fundraising for Vita Impact Fund
Introduction by Sister Marilín M. Llanes, OP, Director Portfolio Advisory Board

The featured organization this month is Vita Green Impact (Vita), an Irish overseas development agency that has worked in eastern and southern Africa for nearly 30 years to deliver sustainable energy, water, and forestry solutions to rural communities facing poverty and climate related challenges. Its programs aim to improve health and livelihoods – especially for women and girls – by expanding access to clean energy and safe water.

On March 26, 2026, members of the Adrian Dominican Sisters’ Portfolio Advisory Board (PAB) members approved a loan request from Vita, first-time loan recipient. Vita is committed to supporting women and their families with essential services leading to sustainable livelihoods. 

Vita’s mission-driven focus is well aligned with the Adrian Dominican Sisters’ Enactment on Women as it seeks “to attain gender equality and women’s full and equal participation and decision-making in Church and society.” 

Ciara Feehely, Head of Communications and Fundraising, shares a story of how Vita’s work ethos of By Women, With Women, For Women transformed the life of an Ethiopian woman and community.  

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In Halo Kebele, a remote village in Ethiopia’s Amhara Region, Tenaye Yisak begins each morning with a sense of relief she once thought impossible. For years, her days were shaped by a single, unending burden: the long walk for water. Every journey meant hours spent reaching shallow wells or nearby rivers — sources she knew were unsafe, yet had no choice but to use.

“We used to walk for hours to fetch water,” she recalls. “The water was often dirty, but we had no other choice. Then we spent more hours fetching wood so we could boil the water and make it clean. My back was always hurting.”

For Tenaye and for thousands of women across Ethiopia, water has never been just a resource. It has been a weight carried on the back, a risk taken for the sake of thirsty children, a sacrifice repeated daily. Drought, conflict, and a long history of underinvestment have left tens of millions of people without safe drinking water. Broken pumps have stood like silent reminders of promises unfulfilled, forcing families – especially women and girls – to walk long distances to collect water that was as dangerous as it was essential.

Into this difficult landscape has come a new kind of hope, one rooted in partnership and in the dignity of local leadership. Through the Vita Green Impact Fund partners, 1,346 broken water pumps have been repaired, bringing clean water to 485,000 people. Working under the ethos of By Women, With Women, For Women, the Fund has helped establish and train 1,346 local WASH Committees, which focus on promoting women into leadership roles. Their stewardship ensures that each water point is cared for, maintained and protected for the long term.

The impact reaches far beyond convenience. It restores time, precious hours that women like Tenaye can now dedicate to family, farming, community life, and generating additional income. It restores health, sparing children the illnesses once caused by contaminated rivers. And it restores dignity, allowing women to step forward not only as beneficiaries, but as leaders.

For women like Tenaye, the change is nothing short of transformative. “Now, I can collect clean water just a few minutes from my home. My children are healthier. Also, I have more time. Before, fetching water and the wood to boil it and clean it was the main focus of my day. I can see the water pump from my own front door and it is already clean water. I love having more time to do things and not carrying these heavy water buckets and bales of wood for long distances. This is a very happy time for me!”

Her joy speaks to a deeper truth echoed across Catholic social teaching: when women flourish, families flourish; when families flourish, communities grow strong; when communities grow strong, hope becomes tangible.

In Halo Kebele and across South Gondar, clean water is doing more than quenching thirst. It is restoring the dignity of women one restored water pump at a time.

 

Caption for feature photo at top: Tenaye Yisak, of the village of Halo Kebele in Ethiopa, poses with a repaired water pump that has made access to water so much easier for the women in her village.

 

By Li Ma, Director of Development, 
Opportunity Resource Fund

April 20, 2026, Grand Rapids, Michigan – Growing up, Avanti Footman knew the feeling of “home” with a backyard and neighbors as space and security that define happiness. This was before her parents’ divorce, which led to her moving from a house into a two bedroom apartment shared with her mom and two brothers. The shift made the instability feel real, a contrast she still remembers. 

Years later, as a mother herself, Avanti rented responsibly in Grand Rapids, Michigan, paid her rent on time, and cared for each place she lived. Yet twice, landlords reclaimed their homes, giving her just 30 days to move. “It was heartbreaking,” she recalled. “My daughter had lived her first five years there, and we had to leave with almost no warning.” The instability she had promised herself she would never pass on to her children seemed unavoidable.

During the COVID-19 pandemic in 2021, Avanti relied on a Section 8 voucher to help keep her housing affordable. She continued paying rent even when agencies fell behind in processing payments. But when the system later sent retroactive funds to correct her ledger, confusion with her landlord led to conflict. When she asked for clarification, communication broke down.

Soon, another 30 day notice arrived. Avanti still remembers standing before the judge, explaining that she wasn’t behind, hadn’t damaged anything, and was only asking for fairness. The judge granted her additional time, but the message was clear: she and her children still had to go.

“I knew then that I couldn’t keep living like that,” she said. “I didn’t want my family to be uprooted just because someone else decided it was time.” The dream of owning a home – something steady, something hers – rose to the surface again.

Yet the path to ownership was not easy. Traditional lenders told her no. Despite years of responsible tenancy and stable income, the doors of conventional mortgage financing remained closed. “The local banks wouldn’t pre approve me,” she said. 

That changed when she was referred to Opportunity Resource Fund. For Avanti, it was the first time a financial institution looked at her with possibility instead of limitation. “They were the only ones who said, ‘We’re going to get to the end,’” she recalled. OppFund staff walked with her through every step, making sure she understood the process and helping her rebuild confidence that homeownership was not only possible, but within reach.

With their support, Avanti purchased a modest, welcoming home in the neighborhood she grew up in. For the first time, she felt rooted. “I no longer have to answer to anyone but the bank,” she said, smiling. “My daughters can go outside and play. They have cousins down the street.” Stability has also allowed her to extend generosity outward: hosting friends who need a place to stay; supporting family; and creating the warm, communal home she longed for as a child.

Later in 2025, another job loss caused her to fall behind on her mortgage. Once again, Opportunity Resource Fund stood beside her. Through its Homeowner Relief Fund, she received assistance to get back on track. “They don’t just help you get into a home,” she said. “They help you stay in a home.”

At Opportunity Resource Fund’s 40 year anniversary gala, Avanti joined to celebrate the impact of this organization that helped her family stay in her home and beloved neighborhood.

Today, Avanti speaks of her home not only as a personal milestone but as a turning point for future generations. “I was able to create generational wealth,” she said. “To break generational curses.”

And to others facing circumstances like hers, she offers simple, steady encouragement: “Don’t give up. Keep going. Use your resources. Trust God.”

With the Adrian Dominican Sisters Portfolio Advisory Board impact investment, Opportunity Resource Fund’s loans are creating meaningful change for communities throughout Michigan.  

 

Caption for above feature photo: Avanti Footman and one of her daughters stand in their new house. Avanti bought the home through the help of the Opportunity Resource Fund.

By Mel Brown, Program Manager, Eskala, Inc. Panama, and Marilín M. Llanes, OP, Director, Office of Portfolio Advisory Board

February 9, 2026, Puerto Lara, Panama – Eskala, Inc., is helping bring hope and opportunity to financially excluded rural Indigenous communities across the Global South. Founded in 2020, Eskala is dedicated to developing accessible financial products and equipping clients with the tools they need to build economic prosperity and equity.

At its December 2025 meeting, the Adrian Dominican Sisters’ Portfolio Advisory Board (PAB) unanimously approved a $200,000 low interest loan to first time recipient Eskala. This investment will help expand Eskala’s Economic Empowerment Program, supporting efforts to break the cycle of poverty in underserved communities – especially among women-led local savings and lending groups.

Mel Brown, program manager at Eskala, shares an inspiring story of how Indigenous women are becoming beacons of hope, transforming their communities from within:

In the remote community of Puerto Lara in Panama’s Darién province, economic opportunity has not always been within reach, especially for Indigenous women. For generations, families relied on agriculture, fishing, and traditional handicrafts, yet access to fair and affordable financial services remained out of reach. Today, that story is changing.

At the center of this transformation is Iraida Valencia, a 33-year-old artisan and community leader, and her husband, Moisés Chamapuro. Both are members of a rural community bank formed in 2015 by 52 Indigenous Wounaan women who came together to strengthen their household economies while preserving their ancestral traditions through handicrafts.

“When I was young, my mother couldn’t even enter a bank because of our traditional dress,” Iraida recalls. “My family and I never thought it would be possible to get a loan. Today, I am the proud president of our own rural bank.”

The community bank Iraida helps lead is supported by Eskala, a mission-driven social enterprise that partners with locally led savings and lending groups and community banks across Panama, Honduras, and Ghana. Rather than replacing community systems, Eskala invests in and strengthens them, ensuring that financial resources remain owned and governed by the people they are meant to serve. 

Iraida and Moisés received their first loan of just $500. They used it to invest in plantain farming and to purchase materials for making traditional baskets. At the time, Moisés worked in agriculture and fishing, while Iraida focused on handicrafts. Over the years, by repaying their loans responsibly, they gained access to larger amounts of credit, each one supporting a new step forward for their family.

A $3,000 loan allowed them to complete construction on their home and open a small mini-market in Puerto Lara, providing essential goods to neighbors who previously had to travel long distances. Another $2,000 loan, combined with their savings, helped them purchase a pickup truck, dramatically improving their ability to transport agricultural products to Panama City.

Their most recent loan, for $4,000, was granted in October 2025. With it, they expanded inventory for their mini-market, invested in handicrafts for resale at fairs throughout the country, and began purchasing agricultural products from neighbors to transport and sell in the city.

“For many years, money used to cost me 20% or even 50% interest,” Moisés says. “Borrowing meant enslaving all my effort, and these were the only options. Today, I know I can keep my pride and my traditions, because we are owners of our own capital.”

The impact of this journey extends far beyond one family. Iraida and Moisés now generate employment opportunities for neighbors, support local artisans, and help circulate income within their community. Through Eskala’s support, members received training in financial management, lending practices, and leadership, enabling them not only to access credit but to operate a sustainable community institution. Iraida, who joined the savings group at age 22, was elected president of the Puerto Lara community bank last year in recognition of her leadership and commitment.

Her story reflects what is possible when women are trusted as leaders, when access replaces exclusion, and when financial systems are built on dignity rather than extraction. With the continued accompaniment of partners like Eskala, communities such as Puerto Lara are not only improving livelihoods, but they are also reclaiming ownership of their future.

 

Learn more about the vital mission of Eskala: A community bank run by entrepreneurial women in Panama below or at this link.

 

Feature photo at top: Moisés Chamapuro, left, and his wife Iraida Valencia stand in their mini-market in Puerto Lara, Panama. They completed construction of their home and opened the mini-market after receiving a $3,000 loan from a community bank supported by Eskala, Inc.

By Lydia Shoaf
Content and Press Associate, Friendship Bridge

Yeiny, a young woman living in Huehuetenango, Guatemala, finished high school and started a family at a young age. But when her husband left, she found herself on her own with three school-age children to care for, in a country deeply rooted in gender inequality.

With 56% of Guatemala’s population living below the national poverty line and exceeding 70% poverty among rural, Indigenous populations, Yeiny knew she would have a tough road ahead. But she was determined to support her family. (Read more about the global gender gap and poverty and equity in Guatemala in reports prepared by the World Bank.) 

Committed to keeping her three children in school rather than dropping out to work (common among Guatemala’s impoverished families), Yeiny began selling fruit outside of a school. In order to improve her financial situation and grow her business, she became a client of Friendship Bridge, a nonprofit social enterprise that offers small loans to low-income women. 

Friendship Bridge serves women in Guatemala who couldn’t get a loan from a traditional bank. With an average loan of about $600 per person, women typically borrow money as a group in their local community, called a trust bank, to support one another and ensure they’ll be able to make their loan payments. Yeiny joined the Entre Alamos Trust Bank in Huehuetenango, and the money she received from her loan allowed her to reinvest in a new business selling dietary supplements.

The loan Yeiny received, however, was only a part of what Friendship Bridge offers to help women thrive. Each month, when it is time to make a payment on her loan, Yeiny attends a trust bank meeting where she learns from 30-minute non-formal education sessions on topics including business, money management, self-esteem, and health. Similar to adult education classes in the United States, non-formal education focuses on educating women so they can pass on what they learn to their children and other family members.

"It is important to know that in the face of all adversity, as women, we can get ahead together and respect each other,” Yeiny says.

Thanks to training offered through Friendship Bridge, Yeiny and her husband now operate a profitable bakery in Guatemala.

The Adrian Dominican Sisters have invested in Friendship Bridge since 2020, and recently refinanced and increased its investment. Such investments helped Friendship Bridge serve more than 36,000 women in 2024 with small loans paired with education and preventive health services, a program known as Microcredit Plus.

Yeiny has particularly appreciated learning about good investment and self-esteem. “The trainings have helped me a lot, both physically and mentally,” she says. “They have helped me know how to invest and make a percentage of profit and see if I can continue to invest in any other products.” 

In addition to learning how to be more responsible with money and to take care of herself, Yeiny built and furnished her own house. 

These skills carried over into other areas of Yeiny’s life as she remarried and grew her family. She and her husband now operate a bakery together, which has been very profitable. They employ three people and are continuously diversifying their services to earn more income.

“Friendship Bridge is not only about getting a loan, but it offers a lot of help, motivation, and learning,” Yeiny explains. “Thanks to God and this organization, my business is growing and my family is growing as well.”

 

Caption for feature photo at top: Through Friendship Bridge, groups of seven to 25 women from rural Guatemala borrow money together in a Trust Bank to invest in their small businesses. During Trust Bank meetings, members make loan payments and receive non-formal education sessions on topics such as money management, self-esteem, and health. 

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 Christopher Richardson
Shareholder Advocacy Manager, Mercy Investment Services

April 14, 2025, Adrian, Michigan – World Water Day, recognized annually on March 22, is a global moment of reflection and action. It reminds us that water is not just a resource. It is the sacred lifeblood of our planet and a gift that connects all life. We must protect this gift not only for ourselves but also for future generations. 

This year’s World Water Day theme, "Water for Peace," highlights how responsible stewardship of water resources can prevent conflict, promote equity, and restore harmony between communities and ecosystems.

The shareholder advocacy work supported by the Adrian Dominican Sisters Portfolio Advisory Board (PAB) is working to encourage companies to be more transparent and responsible in how they manage water use and avoid water contamination throughout their operations and in their global supply chains. 

Through programs such as the Ceres Valuing Water Finance Initiative, investors engage food, beverage, utility, and energy companies to ensure water stewardship is central to their business models. The risks associated with water – scarcity, contamination, extreme weather – aren’t just environmental. They are operational and financial, directly impacting supply chains, crop production, and worker and community well-being.

This year, we’ve expanded dialogues with companies like Ingredion, Campbell’s, and Coca-Cola to explore their progress and gaps in water stewardship.

Ingredion has made notable strides in managing its water risk. The company is conducting facility-level water risk assessments and has incorporated water reduction targets into its broader sustainability strategy. It is also integrating water stewardship into its sustainable agriculture goals for its global supply chain, particularly in high-water-use regions like Pakistan and the U.S.

Campbell’s, too, has highlighted water as a priority, although its progress is mixed. The company set a goal to reduce water usage by 20 percent by 2025 from a 2017 baseline but recently reported a 7 percent increase in use. Campbell’s has also mapped water risks at 100 percent of their manufacturing locations and is assessing climate and water risks across 24 priority raw materials. We will continue to press the company for concrete progress in managing its water use and water risk.

Coca-Cola has long prioritized water as a key risk for its business, setting a target in 2007 to replenish 100 percent of the water used in its drinks production by 2020, which it achieved five years early, in 2015. In 2024, the company announced an initiative with its African bottling companies to address water insecurity.  

The Equatorial Coca‑Cola Bottling Company set targets to improve its water-use efficiency by 20 percent and achieve 100 percent local water replenishment by 2030. Its bottling operations serve more than 160 million consumers, making these goals both impactful and essential. ECCBC is also working to align with The Coca-Cola Company’s overall "2030 Water Security Strategy" and collaborates with NGOs to improve water access and sanitation in vulnerable communities.

Our goal through shareholder advocacy is to support companies in becoming better stewards of water resources. By raising expectations, asking better questions, and pushing for more complete disclosures, we help companies prepare for a future where water will be a defining factor in resilience, cost, and reputation.

On this World Water Day, let us remember that water is not a commodity. It is a sacred thread that binds us all.

By Joshua Geary
Communications Manager, Center for Economic Opportunity

March 17, 2025, San Diego, California – For many refugees, establishing financial stability in the United States is a daunting challenge. Without a credit history, they are often deemed ineligible for loans by traditional lenders, limiting their ability to secure housing or transportation or to start a small business. Recognizing this critical need, the Adrian Dominican Sisters Portfolio Advisory Board (PAB) approved a loan request in September 2023 to support the Fresh Start Fund, an initiative of International Rescue Committee’s (IRC) Center for Economic Opportunity (CEO).

CEO is a unique loan fund, offering small-dollar consumer, business, and credit-building loans primarily to refugees and immigrants who have resettled in the United States. CEO has expanded its work to support other low-income populations, including public housing residents and people who were formerly incarcerated.

Since 2015, CEO has provided more than 10,000 loans totaling $37.5 million, primarily benefiting refugees and immigrants with limited credit history. The repayment rate of CEO’s borrowers is above 95 percent, demonstrating the program’s effectiveness. CEO is certified by the U.S. Treasury as a Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) Loan Fund and a Small Business Association (SBA) Microloan Intermediary.

Through the Fresh Start Fund, CEO offers loans with discounted rates to newly resettled refugees in the United States. Access to credit accelerates refugees’ economic integration, yet traditional financial institutions often label these borrowers as “subprime” due to their lack of credit history. As a result, many face extremely high interest rates or are denied financing altogether. CEO takes a different approach, assessing each applicant’s full financial picture rather than relying solely on credit scores.   

These loans are made in tandem with credit education and other asset-building services delivered by CEO’s national network of community-based partners. These organizations bring deep community ties and cultural competence, ensuring that loan recipients receive not only financial support but also guidance tailored to their unique circumstances. This “Lending as a Service” model effectively extends capital to where it is needed most.

CEO views itself as an entry point for individuals seeking fair credit and an alternative to subprime and predatory lenders and high-interest financial services. One example of CEO’s impact is visible through its auto lending. Reliable transportation significantly expands employment opportunities, allowing individuals access to jobs with higher wages and more flexible hours. CEO’s auto loan product offers an affordable pathway to car ownership without the burden of excessive interest rates – some of which can reach as high as 28 percent. 

This is made possible through CEO’s underwriting policies, which do not rely solely on credit score, but account for the whole person and their ability to repay. CEO can offer flexibility in repayment, which allows borrowers to work with CEO and protect their credit if they cannot make a payment in a given month.

With the Adrian Dominican Sisters investment, CEO is able to offer affordable loans to people who would otherwise be excluded from traditional financing. This initiative aligns with the Sisters’ long-standing commitment to economic justice and empowering marginalized communities.

Check out this YouTube video, featuring staff, partners, and borrowers from CEO explaining the impact of CEO’s zero percent credit building loans.

Feature photo at top: Victoria, owner of Victoria Barrier Solutions, a residential and commercial fence and railing business, receives loans from the Center for Economic Opportunity.

By Marilín M. Llanes, OP
Director of the Portfolio Advisory Board and Office

January 14, 2025, Fort Pierce, Florida – In October 2024 two powerful hurricanes left widespread devastation in the southeastern United States. Communities in Florida, Georgia, the Carolinas, and beyond were walloped by the hurricanes within a two-week span, leaving lives disrupted and lost, homes destroyed, and critical infrastructure severely damaged.

In response to the serious needs arising from these cataclysmic storms, the Solar Energy Loan Fund (SELF) has been a beacon of hope, acting swiftly to deliver relief. 

St. Lucie, Florida, in the county where SELF is headquartered, was directly affected by Hurricane Milton, which caused considerable damage to the area. Historically, SELF has offered financial assistance to residents of hurricane disaster areas with great success and impact. SELF stepped up again for the residents who needed the most assistance. Partnering with SELF, the Adrian Dominican Sisters Portfolio Advisory Board (PAB) is part of these rebuilding efforts.  

On December 3, 2024, the PAB approved a Hurricane Recovery Loan for $100,000 with a very low interest to offer home repair loans of $10,000 to the most at-risk homeowners. With these loans, homeowners can make necessary repairs and replacements to ensure that their homes are safe and sanitary and do not continue to deteriorate further. 

SELF is the first nonprofit in the country dedicated exclusively to climate equity, storm resilience, and sustainability in under-resourced and underbanked communities. SELF began its journey in 2009 as a U.S. Department of Energy pilot program in St. Lucie County, Florida, and has since expanded operations to four states – Florida, Alabama, Georgia, and South Carolina – focusing on projects in low- and moderate-income neighborhoods with a default rate of less than 2 percent. Since 2013, SELF has been a lending partner with the PAB. 

We stand in solidarity with SELF in their diligence in providing hurricane relief to residents by offering low-cost loans with grace periods that allow ample time to repair their homes. Truly, SELF is a green beacon of hope in these challenging times.  
 

Caption for above feature photo: These residents, like many others, receive service from the Solar Energy Loan Fund as they deal with devastation caused by hurricanes.
Photo Courtesy of the Solar Energy Loan Fund

By Marilín Llanes, OP
Director and Portfolio Manager
Office of Portfolio Advisory Board 

The Adrian Dominican Sisters’ Portfolio Advisory Board (PAB) members on September 27, 2024, approved a loan request to first-time recipient RecycleForce.

RecycleForce operates as a double agent of change by employing individuals formerly incarcerated and reducing the amount of electronic waste flowing into landfills across the country. Founded in 2006, RecycleForce is an Indianapolis-based 501(c)3 nonprofit organization.

Employees are given the opportunity, based on their training and experience, to work at all levels in the organization. Their wages provide critical support for these individuals who are navigating the process of re-entry into civil society. Additionally, RecycleForce supplies a host of wrap-around services to ensure that each participant makes a successful transition. 

RecycleForce applied for a low-interest loan from the Adrian Dominican Sisters Community Impact Investment Fund to cover the pre-development costs of a broad expansion of its plastic recycling activities. The organization plans to construct a new facility and purchase equipment, sorting line, and a pelletizer. This investment will allow the organization to recycle tons of plastic annually.  

For the past 18 years, RecycleForce has taken in computers and laptops, dismantling them and separating them into their component parts – circuit boards, processing chips, copper wiring, aluminum heat sinks, steel housing, and plastic.  

Since its inception, RecycleForce has recycled more than 100 million pounds of electronics and helped more than 3,000 formerly incarcerated individuals return home. In 2023, RecycleForce moved into its new facility after operating in subpar and temporary facilities for several years. The funding requested will be used for pre-development costs of the broad expansion of plastic recycling activities.  

RecycleForce is making a transformative impact on the lives of people navigating their re-entry into society and remediating the environmental waste crisis. 

Watch a YouTube video on the unveiling of RecycleForce’s new facility.   

 

Caption for above feature photo: Employees of RecycleForce work at recycling electronics, Styrofoam, plastics, and other materials.