At Power of Home 2023, Mercy Housing Northwest, with the support of Amazon and the Sisters of Providence, introduced the winner of the inaugural Mercy Housing Northwest Founding Communities Award, Sister Judy Byron. This award was established in recognition of the five founding communities of fearless Women Religious whose tenacity and vision created Mercy Housing Northwest and what it is today. This annual award recognizes individuals, organizations, or communities whose partnership enables our work. Sister Judy Byron always asks, “What can we do together that we can’t do alone?” If you know her, then you know she rarely goes at it alone. As a member of the Adrian Dominican Sisters, she has been a Mercy Housing leader since day one.

Sister Judy remains a part of the fabric and foundation of Mercy Housing Northwest, helping secure resources to ensure the growth and sustainability of our mission. In 2021, the Adrian Dominicans granted a $1.5 million investment to our Mercy Scholars program with a simple request, “ Dream big so that the big dreams of these kids can be realized.” To date, this is the largest non-capital grant we have ever received.

Sister Judy understands that a thriving child is a sign of a healthy community and we are honored to name her as the inaugural winner of the Mercy Housing Northwest Founding Communities Award.