Catholic Sisters donate two downtown home properties to expand affordable housing vision and supply Grand Rapids.
On Tuesday, October 20, 2026, representatives of the Dominican Sisters ~ Grand Rapids attended a special blessing ceremony hosted by Inner City Christian Federation (ICCF) to celebrate the donation of two home properties by the Congregation of Catholic Sisters.
Congregation Prioress Sister Megan McElroy, OP, shared how the Congregation is called to share blessings — and how that commitment led the Dominican Sisters ~ Grand Rapids to donate these homes in support of ICCF’s mission “to create vibrant communities in West Michigan with connected neighbors, housing justice, and abundant opportunity.”
Homes at 560 and 564 Jefferson Avenue have been owned by the Congregation for 30 years and Sister residents happily joined the neighborhood in these three decades. Now, rather than sell the homes for profit, the Sisters made a decision to add the homes to the affordable housing pool owned and managed by the Inner City Christian Federation.
“… to believe deeply in the transformation of society that we dedicate our lives to laying down the building blocks of a better world,” said Sister Jarrett DeWyse, OP, quoting Tahirih, a 19th Century prophet and Poet. “We envision that our decision to donate property and homes to this housing endeavor may ultimately lead to more people and churches helping to make homes more affordable in our city.”
Sharing Blessings with New Homeowners
Previous residents Sister Jarrett DeWyse and Sister Joellen Barkwell in recent months spent time boxing up and relocating belongings and sorting household items and furnishings to donate to ICCF. They, along with Sr. Mary Ann Barrett, one of the first residents, attended the blessing ceremony and celebration.
“Last week’s visit was all about blessing these houses and celebrating the generous donation, which after some updating and maintenance work, will welcome new homeowners,” said Sister Jarrett.
Sister Mary Donnelly, OP, and Sister Maribeth Holst, OP, also participated in the event and home blessing, along with ICCF CEO and President Ryan VerWys with members of the ICCF real estate and property management teams.
Expanding ICCF’s Community Homes Land Trust
The homes will be added to ICCF’s Community Homes Land Trust (CHLT). According to ICCF, this trust was founded in 2019 to create lasting opportunities for West Michigan families to purchase a home affordably. Rooted in the belief that everyone deserves a safe and stable place to call home, ICCF’s CHLT empowers first-time homebuyers to purchase move-in-ready homes without taking on excessive financial risks or competing with investors and cash buyers. ICCF continues to own the land and the new residents will own the home.
“For over 60 years, Community Land Trusts across the country have worked to provide and preserve long-term housing affordability using a home and land ownership model like the CHLT’s. The premise of that model is that when CHLT homeowners purchase their homes, they agree to help keep the home affordable for the next buyer by limiting their future resale price. They will still make back their full investment, they just won’t “flip” the home for a gigantic profit. This ensures that the opportunity to buy a home at an affordable price is passed on to future generations!” — Learn more
Congregation Background — Commitment to End Homelessness
Celebrating 150 years in Grand Rapids, the Dominican Sisters were first called to ministries of teaching and nursing, caring for orphans and midwifing to save lives of mothers and infants. These vowed Catholic Sisters who chose life in Christ over marriage and children continue to discover profound, boundless gifts in sharing the Gospel, and in a life woven deeply with those they serve and those who serve alongside them.
The Dominican Sisters ~ Grand Rapids commitment to end homelessness is longstanding. In 2022, the Congregation sold its former motherhouse and several acres to a developer committed to expanding affordable housing for seniors. Today, more than 108 women and men aged 55 plus call Academy Manor home.
In 2006 – we committed to collaborate with the Grand Rapids Coalition to End Homelessness in their efforts to end homelessness in Kent County through ongoing efforts to increase awareness of the issues surrounding homelessness, i.e., housing discrimination, redlining, and economic barriers to home ownership.
The Dominican Sisters actively support housing-first models like ICCF programming and other local housing and anti-poverty efforts, including participating in Together West Michigan, and making donations to help individuals overcome barriers to housing.
ICCF and Dominican Sisters of Grand Rapids Celebrate Property Donation, Bless Homes
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