Father Tom Mahlia - Assistant to the President for Mission at Mercy Medical Center
Don Mattran - Marian House Board Chair
Katie Allston - Executive Director

Marian House, a program offering homeless women and children) the supports they need to transition into more independent living environments, celebrated the completion of Independence Place, which will now house up to ten homeless families in addition to women it currently houses. The campus includes a former school, rectory, and convent at the Blessed Sacrament Parish in Pen Lucy that the organization purchased in 2013 from the Archdiocese of Maryland.

“Baltimore’s women face issues related to homelessness which cannot be easily or quickly solved,” said Katie Allston, Marian House’s Executive Director.“This expansion enables us to meet a bit more of that need though our proven approach which we have perfected over the past 37 years.”

The last phase represents a $1.8 million renovation. The development team finishing this phase includes GEDCO, project and construction management, Urban Built, contractor; and Gant Brunnet,architects. The newly renovated space adds over 1200 sq. ft. square feet of additional useable space.

Phase I of the Independence Renovation project was $5.9 million, including acquisition. Foundation funders, many of whom were at the event, include Phase 1 funders The Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation, the Federal Home Loan Banks of New York, Pittsburgh and Atlanta;the France-Merrick Foundation; the State of Maryland; and ananonymous donor.

The Harry and Jeanette Weinberg foundation; the anonymous donor; the Marion I. and Henry J. Knott Foundation; the France-Merrick Foundation; the Abell Foundation; the Home Builders Care Foundation; and the Kenneth Battye Charitable Trust supported Phase II.Numerous individuals contributed to the capital campaign for Independence Place as well.

For over three decades the north Baltimore based Marian House has provided a holistic, healing community for women and their children in need of housing and support services. Services include transitional and permanent housing, including new units opened at Independence Place.

Since its founding, more than 2300 women and 700 children have been Marian House residents, experiencing a safe, sober and loving environment that challenges women to respect and love themselves, confront emotional and socio-economic issues, and transition to stable and independent lives. Eighty per cent of its residents successfully complete the transitional program, and 90% are employed upon leaving Marian House for permanent housing.