By Maxwell Homans
Shareholder Advocacy Associate, Mercy Investment Services, Inc.

The Portfolio Advisory Board filed a proposal this year at Dollar General, asking the retail dollar store to adopt a comprehensive human rights policy aligned with international human rights standards. Mercy Investment Services worked closely with the Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility’s (ICCR) Advancing Worker Justice Initiative to advocate for this resolution, carrying forward engagement with Dollar General following the company’s unsatisfactory responses to previous human rights concerns. 

A previous resolution in 2023 had asked the retail chain for a safety audit to address reports of unsafe conditions, understaffing, and violence at many of its stores. The 2023 resolution received a majority vote with more than 77% shareholder support. However, the company surprisingly refused to engage with the shareholders who had led this proposal. Dollar General chose instead to conduct an audit privately, choosing a “union-busting” law firm as the auditor; the audit found minimal problems with company policies.
 
Since that time, Dollar General agreed to settlements with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) for unsafe store conditions and illegal union-busting activities. The company was fined $12 million by OSHA in July 2024 for repeat safety violations, and in July 2023 the NLRB ruled that Dollar General was practicing “blatant hallmark unfair labor practices” based on their corporate response to store workers attempting to unionize in Connecticut. In addition, workers have reported continued understaffing, low pay, and feeling unsafe at stores, with no meaningful changes since the audit and agreement with OSHA to increase safety protocols.

Recognizing the need for further engagement on worker safety and rights, the proposal the PAB filed this proxy season focused on requesting a corporate-wide human rights policy, asking for greater protections for workers and customers still experiencing unsafe conditions in stores. 

To highlight the voices of Dollar General workers calling for change, ICCR co-hosted a webinar briefing ahead of Dollar General’s annual meeting to build support for the human rights proposal. Dollar General workers told personal stories of receiving violent threats at work, being ordered to block fire exits, and feeling embarrassed that peer retailers offered safer conditions and higher pay for their workers. Investors also made the case for a human rights policy, connecting worker testimonies to widespread financial risks and penalties faced by Dollar General. 

The human rights proposal received 22.9% of the shareholder vote at the company’s annual meeting, falling short of a majority, but high enough to allow investors to re-file the proposal next year. PAB and our fellow investors will continue our push to improve workers’ rights and human rights in Dollar General stores. 

As workers demand more from U.S. retailers, it is imperative that these companies uphold workers’ legal rights to organizing and collective bargaining and a safe and healthy workplace. Stores including Whole Foods, Trader Joe’s, and Starbucks have all seen their workforces unionize in recent years, and with Dollar General surpassing 20,000 stores in the U.S. this past year, responsible business means embracing workers’ rights, not systematically denying them. 

Workers and shareholders will continue to speak up to ask companies to respect human rights; to be successful, companies like Dollar General need to listen.

 

By Judy Byron, OP

I kept my fourth- to sixth-grade students safe by conducting fire and earthquake drills. Lockdowns weren’t in my teacher’s toolkit.

I didn’t have students bringing packets of ketchup with their school supplies, as I recently heard about one little girl doing. If a shooter came to her classroom, she wanted to be prepared to spread ketchup on herself and her friends so that the shooter would think that they were dead.

Everytown for Gun Safety reports that every day, 125 people in the United States are killed with guns and more than 200 are shot and wounded. And research by the Johns Hopkins Center for Gun Violence Solutions found that since 2020, firearms have been the leading cause of death among children ages 1 to 17. When motor vehicle accidents were the leading cause of death for children, we changed that statistic by mandating seat belts, airbags, car seats, and driver education. Can we change the statistics on children and firearms?

Faith-based investors think we can. In 2017, the Northwest Coalition for Responsible Investment (NWCRI), along with a group of colleagues from the Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility (ICCR), joined a growing number of public health experts, gun owners, state and city governments, and citizens in seeking solutions to gun violence.

We purchased stock in firearm manufacturers such as American Outdoor Brands (Smith & Wesson), Sturm Ruger, and Dick’s Sporting Goods, with the goal of engaging these companies regarding the positive role they can play in ending the epidemic of gun violence.

We wrote letters to the companies to raise our concerns and to request dialogue. When none of the companies responded, we filed shareholder resolutions with the manufacturers in early January 2018, “requesting a report on the company’s activities related to gun safety measures and the mitigation of harm associated with gun products.”

The Dick’s Sporting Goods resolution, filed in December 2018, requested a “report on actions our Company has taken on elements such as those based on Sandy Hook Principles,” including measures designed to curb gun violence such as background checks, technology to enhance the safety of guns, and gun safety education at point of sale. The company, including Chief Executive Officer Ed Stack, dialogued with us regarding the actions the company was taking. We were convinced that management was taking steps to reduce gun violence, so we withdrew our resolution.

We had not heard from the manufacturers when the tragedy in Parkland, Florida, on Valentine’s Day 2018 ignited a youth movement that had the potential to address gun violence in our country. Yet the manufacturers of firearms remained on the sidelines, even as their largest investor, BlackRock, publicly urged the companies to address gun safety with questions identical to those in our shareholder resolution.

At the Sturm Ruger annual meeting on May 9, 2019, a majority of shareholders – 69 percent – made it perfectly clear that they wanted the company to take seriously the social impact of its business and that gun safety is a significant and growing social issue. Chief Executive Officer Christopher Killoy’s response to the vote was, “The proposal requires Ruger to prepare a report. That’s it: a report…. What the proposal does not and cannot do is force us to change our business, which is lawful and constitutionally protected.”

Our resolution and dialogue with Dick’s Sporting Goods, however, did result in the company changing its business. On February 28, 2018, Dick’s announced that the company would no longer sell firearms to anyone under 21 or sell assault-style weapons and high capacity magazines. Stack ended his media release saying, “We deeply believe that this country’s most precious gift is our children. They are our future. We must keep them safe.”

Four years later, on May 24, 2022, at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, the teachers and students knew what to do when confronted with a mass shooter, yet 19 children and two teachers did not survive. Today, compelled by the 10-year-old girl who survived and pleaded with the 911 operator, “Please help. I don’t want to die,” NWCRI and our colleagues continue to press firearms manufacturers to help end gun violence.

Used by permission from Intercommunity Justice and Peace Center, A Matter of Spirit, Spring 2025, No. 145

Feature photo at top: Gun Safety Committee panel with Giffords Law Center, Guns Down America, and Sandy and Lonnie Phillips, whose daughter Jessie was killed in the Aurora Theatre in 2012.
 

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 Sister Judy Byron, OP, Portfolio Advisory Board Member and 
Maxwell Homans, Shareholder Advocacy Associate for Mercy Investments

February 18, 2025, Adrian, Michigan – Beginning in 2024, several prominent companies announced that they are ending or modifying their Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) programs aimed at hiring and supporting a more diverse workforce and supplier base. These announcements followed recent legal decisions regarding affirmative action programs, anti-DEI campaign rhetoric in the recent election cycle, and a flurry of anti-DEI shareholder proposals at companies in recent proxy seasons. 

Ford Motor Company was among the first to announce changes in its DEI programs, citing an “external and legal environment related to political and social issues [that] continues to evolve.” The Portfolio Advisory Board joined other investors in filing a shareholder proposal requesting that the company disclose analysis that the company undertook before making changes to its DEI policies and practices.
 
Ford’s announced changes included no longer participating in the Human Rights Campaign’s (HRC) survey on corporate practices related to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ+) employees; not linking compensation to diversity goals; and changing the focus of employee resource groups. 

In a subsequent meeting with Ford, the company assured investors that its commitment to diversity and inclusion is unwavering. The company said it has not put out a public clarification of its position because it wants to avoid feeding the media narrative grouping it with DEI rollbacks, but it immediately reached out to its largest investors to inform them of its continued commitment to DEI. 

Speaking with Ford to hear firsthand why the changes were made and how it plans to continue fostering a working environment based on belonging and individual potential was helpful. However, we anticipate that the proposal will remain on the proxy ballot and hope that Ford will use the opportunity to explain its decision publicly.

Walmart announced in December that it will be rolling back some of its DEI initiatives and modifying its DEI language while continuing to encourage “a sense of belonging” for its employees, customers, and suppliers. PAB and other investors have engaged with Walmart for more than 30 years, including numerous dialogues and proposals that flagged the business and financial risks to Walmart associated with systemic racism, discrimination, and inequity as well as the significant benefits of advancing DEI. 

On January 15, the PAB and other Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility (ICCR) investors sent an Investor Statement to CEO Doug McMillon and issued a press release expressing our deep disappointment regarding Walmart’s recent announcement about its DEI commitments. Subsequently, investors met with Walmart about its DEI program changes and we plan to continue engaging the company on that issue.

Early executive orders from the new Trump Administration have fueled fears that companies could come under federal investigation for their DEI programs and policies, and more companies, such as Target, have recently announced changes in their programs. We anticipate that urging companies to continue to prioritize DEI will be a significant focus for our engagements with U.S. companies for some time to come.

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 Mary Minette
PAB Consultant

December 16, 2024, New York, New York – Faith-based investors gathered in September for the Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility’s (ICCR) annual fall conference to explore and collaborate on various topics impacting shareholder advocacy. Through shareholder advocacy, faith-based organizations buy shares of corporations, allowing them to advocate for the corporation’s adoption of just policies.

The conference focused in part on how companies adopt artificial intelligence (AI) tools and how AI affects people and communities. Panels focused on how investors can effectively engage companies to ensure users’ privacy and safety in light of increasing use of AI; the challenges and risks posed by the increased use of AI tools by health insurers to make coverage decisions for individuals; and on AI’s impact on public conversations and access to information in an election year that is key for the United States and many other countries. 

In addition, the conference included discussions of new and evolving issues: 

•    The impact of healthcare consolidation on coverage and care for patients, which highlighted real-world impacts through conversations with healthcare providers and recipients.

•    The increasing challenges investors face following the recent Supreme Court decision impeding the ability of federal agencies to issue common-sense regulations to protect public interests, as well as anti-environmental, social, and governance (ESG) legislation and lawsuits.

•    The suboptimal working conditions in the seafood industry. The panel included local labor organizations who delved into on-the-ground insight and provided shareholder actions.

•    Just transition, including a panel discussion by local organizations who discussed the impact of the development of wind energy on local economies.

The ICCR conference concluded with the organization’s annual event, "Navigating Troubled Waters: Corporate Political Responsibility in Turbulent Times." Corporate representatives spoke about how their organizations are navigating political discourse in our divided country.  

Most importantly, the annual event also included the awarding of ICCR’s Legacy Award to Pat Zerega of Mercy Investment Services, who has worked as a consultant to the Portfolio Advisory Board (PAB) for the past decade, for her “five decades of shareholder advocacy on behalf of people and planet.”  

In granting the award to Pat, the ICCR noted that she “has dedicated her life and career to serving and speaking out for the ‘least of these my brothers and sisters.’ Her care and concern for the dignity of each person is at the core of her being, her faith, and her mission to advance corporate respect for human rights from the community to corporate boardrooms. Pat has been indispensable in her service to ICCR, both as a board member and as an active member and leader of several working groups.”

The PAB joins the ICCR in celebrating Pat’s dedication to our shared work and the legacy of impact on corporate policies!
 

Caption for above feature photo: Pat Zerega, center, former consultant to the Portfolio Advisory Board, holds the 2024 Legacy Award from the Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility (ICCR). With her are, from left, Rob Fohr, Chair of the ICCR Board; Katie McCloskey, Vice President of Social Responsibility for Mercy Investments; Susan Markos, retired Vice President of Social Responsibility for Mercy Investments; and Josh Zinner, CEO of ICCR.

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.

October 10, 2024, Adrian, Michigan – The Adrian Dominican Sisters Portfolio Advisory Board (PAB) held its annual meeting during the last week of September and shared the fruits of that meeting in a September 27, 2024, Fireside Chat in the Weber Center Auditorium.

After the Board and staff members introduced themselves, Cynthia Crim, PAB Chair since 2022, offered an update. The Board approved five loans to community organizations. The Board’s greatest accomplishment during the meeting, however, was adopting the 2023-2028 Strategic Plan, which had been approved last year by the PAB and the General Council. “More than anything, we spent a lot of time listening to each other and really studying and making sure the plan embodied all of the Enactments,” particularly diversity, gender equity, and environmental sustainability, Cynthia reported.

Details on the Strategic Plan and on the five organizations whose loans were approved will be included in upcoming PAB articles published on the Adrian Dominican Sisters public website.

Cynthia also announced the Vision and Mission of the PAB, crafted during the meeting:

Vision
Rooted in the Vision, Mission, and Enactments of the Adrian Dominican Sisters, the Portfolio Advisory Board envisions a beloved community without poverty, hunger, homelessness, and ecological degradation. The beloved community is shaped by its collective voices and is committed to promoting racial and gender equity and systemic changes to policies and practices of institutions inhibiting its realization. Building on its collaborative strength, the beloved community is an active, healthy, and thriving space where all are welcome and have a voice.

Mission
The Mission of the Portfolio Advisory Board is to use the assets of the Adrian Dominican Sisters to build the beloved community. We invest in community organizations that create opportunities for those who are marginalized and that embody values of collaboration, inclusiveness, right relationship with Earth, and racial and gender equity. We use our voice as shareholders in corporations to promote policies and practices that build the beloved community.

Marilín Llanes, OP, PAB Director and Portfolio Manager, announced the upcoming 50th anniversary celebration of PAB, Building on Legacy, Impacting the Future, set for Friday, September 26, 2025, at Weber Center. The celebration will include a video telling the story of PAB through the voices of 13 Sisters, Associates, and lay members of the Board. Details are forthcoming.

Sister Marilín also encouraged Sisters and Associates to check out the refreshed PAB page of the Congregation’s public website, which features pictures and articles depicting the work and partners of the PAB. Articles focus alternatively on corporate responsibility efforts and community investments.

For the remainder of the Fireside Chat, Eric K. Foster, Co-Founder, Chair, and Managing Director of Rende Progress Capital, spoke of his work offering loans and other financial services to businesses owned by people of color. Rende has been part of the PAB’s portfolio since 2020, Sister Marilín said. “We were very taken by [Rende’s] whole mission and vision because it was so aligned with our values.” 

Based in Grand Rapids, Michigan, Rende has 47 loan customers, Eric said. Those clients “represent statistically having higher loan denials than their white peer business owners,” he explained. “In credit, they have had similar credit worthiness to white businesses, but in our landscape in Western Michigan, they cannot get a bank loan.” Of his clients, he said, 70% never received a loan before Rende took them on.

Eric emphasized the impact that loans have on the lives of the entrepreneurs of color and the people they serve. One company, Reliable Medical Transport, offers rides to vulnerable people with mobility problems for non-emergency medical appointments as well as non-medical activities. With loans, Reliable Medical Transport and other businesses have been able to expand, increase their revenue, and pay higher wages to their employees, he said. 

Eric thanked the PAB for the loan that he had received from them, enabling him in return to offer loans to entrepreneurs of color. He also encouraged them to stand strong in the face of a movement of “aggrieved white people who fought back against affirmative action,” which has persuaded some corporations to stop funding Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) efforts. Many companies are “under pressure from those who tell them that it’s wrong to promote racial justice,” Eric said. But as a 501(c)3 organization, he added, the PAB has the right to offer grants and investments to people of color and other marginalized groups. “Don’t stop it,” he said. “Don’t cave in.”

View the entire Fireside Chat below or in our public video library.

Caption for above photo: Members of the Portfolio Advisory Board (PAB) during their September 2024 meeting are, from left, Carla Manning; Mary Ellen Leciejewski, OP; Marilin Llanes, OP, Director and Portfolio Manager; Bibiana “Bless” Colasito, OP, General Council Liaison; Sidney Williams, Jr., in back; Judy Byron, OP; Kris Cooper, Office Manager; Joseph Barker II; and Cynthia Crim, Chair. Not pictured are Carmen Mora, Vice Chair, and Mary Minette, Mercy Investment Consultant.