T h e Waifs’ M e s s e n g e r

o f M e r c y h o M e f o r B o y s & g i r l s

Christmas 2011 • Volume 112, Number 2 Publ i shed for over 100 years

Inside: Work Is Key to Success • K ids Make a Di f ference • Discover ing Chr istmas Joy • The Power of Bequests • Running to Heal

Christm

as Issu

e

2 C h r i s t m a s 2 0 1 1

Kidz Korner

Of all the gifts friends like you will be giving

this Christmas season, the greatest one of

all could be the gift you’ve given to the

boys and girls of Mercy Home. With all

the kindness, concern and generosity you

share with our children throughout the year,

you provide for them the basics of food,

clothing and shelter, but you also promise

them something very special — a Home for

the holidays. And just like any family would

do, our Mercy Home family finds great

delight in the small moments: the holiday

meal shared around our family table, the

small gifts exchanged between friends, and

the laughter, love and togetherness that

this most sacred season brings. With these

photographs, our family invites you into our

Home this Christmas for a special glimpse

of the joyous moments your friendship and

generosity make possible.

Picturing a Merry Christmas❄  ❅  ❆  ❄  ❅  ❆  ❄  ❅  ❆  ❄  ❅  ❆  ❄  ❅  ❆  ❄  ❅  ❆

2 C h r i s t m a s 2 0 1 1

t h e Wa i f s ’ m e s s e n g e r 3

like many, i have fond memories of christmases past. leaning forward to catch a glimpse of my siblings, all sitting atop their warmest winter coats, and lined up in a pew for christmas Mass. crowding in front of a twinkling tree for each year’s holiday photo as carols streamed through the radio, or bowing our heads in prayer as we gathered around our christmas dinner.

each year as this season comes around, i find myself reflecting on these wonderful moments of my youth. And what strings all my warmest and happiest holiday memories together is the presence of family.

i can’t tell you how much it breaks my heart to think of the christmases many of our kids had before coming to Mercy home. i can tell you that many of them never involved a loving family.

can you even imagine waking up on christmas morning and going about your day as if there were nothing as extraordinary as the birth of our savior to celebrate? no christmas Mass, no special dinner to gather around a table and give thanks for the year’s blessings, no carols, no exchange of gifts, no falling asleep with that little extra joy from the day’s magic and wonder.

sadly, for so many of the young men and women of Mercy home, this isn’t too far off from how christmas Day was for them. Maybe they would forget completely, or spend the whole day alone in front of the TV, or worse, fearfully avoiding the wrath of an abusive parent.

so when the holiday season arrives, and we are prompted to give thanks and reflect on our blessings, i can promise you that our Mercy home family always gives thanks for you.

your presence in our home and your faithful assistance in our mission are nothing short of life-saving — and life-giving — to our kids. your compassion, concern and care for our children offers them the chance at a second childhood, one that guarantees them safety, opportunity and a family that truly loves them.

on behalf of our entire Mercy home family, thank you for all that you’ve shared throughout the year with our children. from our family to yours, have a truly Merry christmas, and a blessed and joyful new year!

Blessings,

Father Scott’s Reflection

ContentsJob Enhances Education 4–5

Serving the Community 6–7

Sharing Christmas Together 8–9

Planned Giving’s Impact 10–11

Marathoning for Mercy 12–13

Mercy Home Heroes 14

Double Your Gift 15

family Makes christmas Memories

For an insider’s look around our Mercy Home, please

visit www.mercyhome.org.

Father Scott’s Reflection

4 C h r i s t m a s 2 0 1 1

ike any well-rounded kid, lindsey excels in more than just academics. After securing a summer job at Mercy Beaucoup!, lindsey is now continuing to grow in her role there during the school year.

Mercy Beaucoup!, in the heart of chicago’s old Town neighborhood, is a resale boutique dedicated to supporting the mission of and raising funds for Mercy home, all while providing invaluable job training and experience for our youth. At Mercy home, we believe the experience young adults gain while holding a job or internship plays a key role in their educational success.

“[holding a job] gives our kids a purpose,” said liz Mulligan, vice president of the Academy at Mercy home. “it allows them to apply their classroom knowledge to the real world and see how all the pieces fit together, and it gives them motivation to want to do well in all areas of their lives.”

lindsey came to Mercy home just over three years ago, before entering 8th grade. even though she did well in school at that young age, she knows now that she would not have had educational success if Mercy home had not offered her guidance, support and encouragement in the classroom — things we are able to give our children because of friends like you.

“Mercy home helped me with my education,” lindsey said. “They provided me with opportunities that i probably wouldn’t experience living with [her guardian] or attending a public school.”

While we stress the importance of school to all of our kids, lindsey, like many of them, really took advantage of the resources we provide. Through after-school programs, lindsey has taken many classes at Mercy home that enhance her learning. Through volunteer tutors, lindsey has been able to find the extra help she needs on math homework, for example. And through career resources, lindsey found a job, allowing her to connect everything she’s learned together, to not only grasp the value of a good education, but to make sure she gives her best effort in order to succeed.

“school is important to me because it will help me to be successful,” lindsey said.

“i’ve always liked school, and i know it will help me learn important life skills.”

lindsey graduated from 8th grade at the private chicago elementary school where Mercy home placed her. compared to her old school, lindsey said, the students were more studious and focused on school, and the classes were much smaller. The now 16-year-old is almost halfway through her junior year at a premier high school on chicago’s south side.

e D u c A T i o n

Job Experience Key to Success

“School is

important to

me because it

will help me to

be successful…

and I know it

will help me

learn important

life skills.”

—Lindsey

l

t h e Wa i f s ’ m e s s e n g e r 5

Writing a will is one of those things that we’d prefer not to deal with. Too many details… too many decisions.

But the process doesn’t have to be overwhelming. At Mercy Home we’ve put together a Will Kit that will not only help you get started, but also provide the tools to guide you along the way.

“I’ll get to that tomorrow…”

Already have a will? This kit can be a tremendous help as you review your plans.

To request your free Will Kit, complete this coupon or call 1-800-378-8266.

And while you’re at it, please consider including a bequest for the children of Mercy Home. Our legal title is: The Mission of Our Lady of Mercy, Inc.

Please send me your free Will Kit.

Please have someone contact me.

I have already included Mercy Home in my estate plans.

Name(s)

Address

City/State/Zip

Phone

Birthdate(s)

Mercy Home for Boys & GirlsAttn: Dan Pritchard • 1140 West Jackson Blvd. Chicago, IL 60607-2906 mercyhome.org • 1.800.378.8266

As a sophomore, lindsey began taking honors classes, and has continued to do so during her junior year. from honors Algebra 2 Trigonometry, to honors Pre-calculus, lindsey has maintained steady grades of A’s and B’s. “My favorite subject is math, because there is always a right answer,” she explained. “you are able to find out what you did wrong and make it right.”

When she’s not in school or studying, lindsey cheers on her high school’s varsity squad for the football and basketball teams. lindsey also has big plans for her future — she aspires to be a veterinarian, possibly getting her degree from eastern illinois university. “i love animals,” she said. “i feel like [animals] should be treated just as well as humans.”

Without the support of friends like you, Mercy home would have never been able to fuel lindsey’s zest for her education. Because of your generosity, we are able to provide lindsey, and kids like her, with educational programs that help them discover their full potential.

While she keeps herself busy in many other activities, lindsey never loses sight of what is most important to her. “school is my main priority,” lindsey said. “i am determined to do my best, and if i’m not, then i try harder.”

After learning to excel in school, Lindsey strives to earn one more “A” — at her new job. Lindsey’s success both inside the classroom and at Mercy Beaucoup! are only made possible through the

generosity and kindness of good friends like you.

6 C h r i s t m a s 2 0 1 1

c o M M u n i T y s e r V i c e

‘One Person Doing One Small Thing’ Makes a Difference

ver an energetic, active young girl, Kim is always busy. she takes part in numerous Mercy home activities, including tutoring, art therapy and a running club, and she recently landed a part-time job serving coffee at a local cafe.

But no matter how busy she gets, Kim always makes time — together with the girls she lives with at Mercy home — to volunteer and give back to her community. This christmas season, she is particularly excited to spend time helping at a local food bank, packing cans of vegetables, boxes of rice and other necessities to share with needy families for their holiday meals.

Many of our kids enjoy volunteering, but for Kim, this act of giving back has a special meaning.

Kim was raised by her elderly grandmother. her mother and father left her early on, and her grandmother was the only parent she ever knew. Kim’s grandmother was unable to work and struggled to feed the growing child.

“We probably would have gone hungry,” Kim said, “but there was this group of people from our church, and they would gather food during christmas and even after, to bring to me and my grandma. And they would even come over and help us cook, or shovel snow for us, all for free. Just because they wanted to help.”

one day, about two years ago, Kim’s grandmother fell and broke her hip. she never fully regained her strength after that, and she was moved into a nursing home.

it was during this time that one of the church volunteers, a caring woman named Diana, told Kim about Mercy home. After Kim moved to Mercy home, Diana and some of the other volunteers began to visit Kim here or take her to visit her grandmother. it is in appreciation of their kindness that Kim has taken so enthusiastically to helping others.

Volunteering is now a passion for Kim. her eyes light up at the chance to take part in volunteer activities throughout the year, and to pay forward the love and generosity that provided such support

e“When you’re the one

getting the help, it makes all the difference

in the world. Those volunteers who helped

me and my grandma changed my whole life.”

—Kim

t h e Wa i f s ’ m e s s e n g e r 7

during her own childhood, whether through walking dogs at a local animal shelter, feeding the homeless or cleaning a neighborhood park.

“it’s so amazing to be able to help,” Kim said. “And some people think with volunteering that one person doing one small thing doesn’t really make a difference. But it does. When you’re the one getting the help, it makes all the difference in the world. Those volunteers who helped me and my grandma changed my whole life.”

These activities are incredibly meaningful for children like Kim, and they impart lasting lessons in kindness, leadership and compassion. Though so many of our kids’ young lives have been marked by pain and sadness, they have also been lifted up by the kindness of others — people like you who, out of the goodness of your hearts, reach out to those in need and lend a helping hand and a word of encouragement.

That compassion is not only a source of comfort for Mercy home’s boys and girls, but of inspiration. for it is through the goodness of friends like you that our children learn the importance of helping others, and it is because of you that they, in turn, are motivated to make a lasting difference in the lives of so many more in need.

Our kids know well how compassion can change the lives of those in need. Following your compassionate and generous example, they are eager to give back to make a difference for others.

t h e Wa i f s ’ m e s s e n g e r 7

8 C h r i s t m a s 2 0 1 1

ust as it is in any family home, Christmas is a deeply emotional time for the children of Mercy Home. Our kids not only reflect on days past, but they create new memories that they will cherish for years to come, thanks to the compassionate support and unwavering dedication of good friends like you.

See, for many of our children, their first Christmas at Mercy Home is often the first happy one in their lives. But for those who lost people they loved, it is instead a second chance at happiness, an opportunity to regain the joy they once had.

That was the case for Shaun, who came to Mercy Home just over a year ago.

Shaun’s life was never easy, but at least when he was little, it was usually happy. His mother had struggled all her life with mental illness and poverty, but she loved her son deeply and did everything she could to provide for him.

“We hardly ever had money, and we were homeless sometimes,” Shaun said. “My mom was so sick she couldn’t work a lot of the time. But she still did stuff with me that didn’t cost money, like going to the park or the library.”

Through odd jobs, soup kitchens, and occasional help from neighbors or a nearby church, Shaun and his mother made it through, day by day.

“Christmas was the hardest for my mom,” Shaun said. “She wanted so bad to get me presents like other kids had. She would take me by the stores when they were all lit up and hold my hand, and we would pretend that we could have anything inside.”

As Christmas neared, Shaun’s mom did everything she could, scrimping and saving to buy him a toy truck or a coat or a board game for the two of them to play together.

Though times were hard, Shaun smiles a lot while remembering those early years. But gradually, his mother’s condition worsened. As her health slipped away, she could no longer take care of her young son. Finally, one day when Shaun was 10, he found out that she was going to be hospitalized — and he would be sent to live with distant relatives.

“My mom, I knew she was sick, and it was getting really bad, but I loved her,” Shaun said. “And I didn’t want her to go away.”

j

c h r i s T M A s s T o r y

Finding Joy in SharingKids Have a Merry Christmas — Because of You

Many of our children experience their first joyful

Christmas in the safe, caring Mercy Home family thanks to

the support and dedication of our faithful friends.

t h e Wa i f s ’ m e s s e n g e r 9

shaun moved in with an aunt and uncle who had three children of their own. his new family spent little time with him, and his uncle once locked him outside on a winter day for not cleaning his room. he asked to visit his mother, but they never took him to the hospital where she lived.

christmas was the hardest for shaun. During the holidays, his guardians paid him little attention, preferring instead to spend the day with their “real kids.”

“christmastime, that was my favorite time with my mom,” shaun said softly. “And that’s why it was so hard with my aunt and uncle. i didn’t matter to them at all, and with my mom, i was the most important thing to her. And she was the most important thing to me.”

one afternoon, shaun’s aunt pulled him aside, and, in hushed tones, gave him news that brought his whole world crashing down.

“she said my mom died,” shaun said, his gaze falling to the floor. “The doctors said my mom had a heart attack, and i never even got to see her before it happened.”

heartbroken by his mother’s death, shaun nearly gave up. his grades fell, he argued with his aunt and uncle, and he occasionally ran away. finally, his aunt and uncle told him that he could no longer stay, and that he would need to find somewhere else to live. he was only 13.

At a teacher’s advice, shaun found Mercy home. With the safe and loving home your friendship helps to provide, he settled in quickly, bringing his grades back up and becoming a favorite among his peers for his sense of humor and kindness. early last year, he took a particular liking to our financial literacy program and began saving his allowance in a bank account. unlike the other kids, he never spent his money, carefully saving each dime.

Then, just before a group shopping trip last christmas, shaun took a sizable portion of his money out of his account. At the end of the day though, his hands were empty. When asked where his purchases were, at first shaun would not say a word.

Then he smiled, explaining that he had used his money to buy presents for the boys he lived with. “When i was with my mom, sharing presents with each other at christmas was always our favorite thing to do. now these boys are my family, so i wanted to have the same memories with them that i had with her.”

Finding Joy in SharingKids Have a Merry Christmas — Because of You

The faces of our boys and girls burst into smiles as they unwrap their

presents and feel the loving support of Mercy Home’s generous friends.

10 C h r i s t m a s 2 0 1 1

P l A n n e D g i V i n g

one hundred years from now. 2111. it’s safe to say that all those reading this article will be enjoying their eternal reward by then. But the impact of our lives will still be reverberating across our world.

The things we do today — the people we touch, the small kindnesses we share, the hurtful word that we do not utter — all make a difference. our choices also become lessons to others, especially to the young. They wrestle with dozens of choices that must be made each day. And these lessons, once learned, can be repeated generation after generation.

Where You Lead, I Will Follow

We know that youth are keen observers. They look to adults for answers.

children and grandchildren, nieces and nephews, and even the boys and girls who live down the street are all watching us closely. And they are taking some of our choices and imitating them. Deep down, they believe that adults have life figured out. And so they follow our example.

Being a role model, even when the role isn’t freely chosen, is an awesome responsibility. The truth is, adults are still trying to figure things out as well. We make plenty of our own mistakes, especially with the words we use. But thankfully, our actions always speak

louder than our words.

Use Words if You Must

The respect that we show to friend and stranger alike sends a huge message to children. The forgiveness we offer to others (and to ourselves, as well) sends a huge message to children. The ability to laugh at ourselves sends a huge message to children. The faith we express in those we love sends a huge message to children.

Above all, children need to know that someone believes in them. That

vote of confidence is a gift beyond measure. expressing belief with words can be unconvincing. Anyone can tell a child, “nice job” or “way to go.” But when belief shows itself in action, by consistently standing side by side with children as they struggle to find their way (especially when the chips are down), can be life-changing.

One Hundred Years from Now“One hundred years from now, it won’t matter what kind of car I drove, what kind of house I lived in, how much money I had in the bank, nor what my clothes looked like. But the world may be a little better because I was important in the life of a child.”

Above all, children

need to know that

someone believes in

them. That vote of

confidence is a gift

beyond measure.

t h e Wa i f s ’ m e s s e n g e r 1 1

Dan Pritchard is Mercy Home’s director of planned giving.

If you have a question about will preparation, a gift annuity, a charitable

remainder trust or other types of planned gifts, call Dan at 1-800-378-8266.

He’ll be happy to help, and you’ll get a straightforward answer in plain English.

you have shown belief in the boys and girls of Mercy home. And they know it. Words have not been necessary to do this. your actions have been faithful and loyal, generous and kind. our children know that without you, they would have no hope.

Going the Extra Mile

At this time of year, our hearts are filled with the joy of the season. We try our best to let those we love know just how much we do love them. But let’s face it, times are tough; the economy is a real worry. Many are reevaluating their gift giving.

With this in mind, allow me to suggest an idea if you are thinking about making a gift to Mercy home this christmas: consider including Mercy Home for Boys and Girls in your will or trust.

Doing so may take some effort. for those who don’t have a plan, it will most

likely mean making an appointment with an attorney. for those who do, it may mean changing that document. This may be inconvenient.

But please, consider the impact such a gift would have on Mercy home’s children of tomorrow. you will offer them the greatest of gifts: the gift of allowing them to start over — the gift of allowing them to be a child again. your sacrifice could be the greatest of all gifts you make this year.

To help you get started, we are offering a free booklet: “Planning your Bequest.” To request your copy, either complete and return the coupon below or call our planned giving office at 1-800-378-8266.

The things of this world will pass away. What remains, when all is said and done, is the love we have shared with others and the belief we have expressed in them.

To learn more, call us at (800) 378-8266  Please send me your free booklet, Planning Your Bequest    Please have someone contact me

Name

Address

City            State       Zip

Day Phone          E-mail

Mercy Home for Boys & Girls • 1140 W. Jackson Blvd. • Chicago, IL 60607 • mercyhome.org

12 C h r i s t m a s 2 0 1 1

T i r e l e s s s u P P o r T e r s

n a warm summer evening, as Mary Murphy-Smith trained alongside fellow Chicago Marathon hopefuls, fragments of a Bible passage circled in her mind: I have competed well; I have finished the race…the Lord stood by me and gave me strength…and I was rescued from the lion’s mouth.

For Murphy-Smith, who ran the marathon in October in support of Mercy Home, these words, from Timothy 4:6-8, 17-18, were self-defining — and invitational.

In January of 2003, Murphy-Smith took advantage of the first moments of solitude following her father’s death. With her house suddenly emptied of out-of-town relatives, and her children returning to the activities that comprised everyday life, Murphy-Smith bundled up against the winter chill and headed out for a run through her local forest preserve.

Since her 20s, when Murphy-Smith took to the sport to quit smoking, running had been a life preserver, sustaining her during hard times — life’s ordinary stresses, the pressure of nursing school, and even every one of her six pregnancies. “Anything could happen to me,” she said. “But as long as I had my run for the day, I was okay.”

As she jogged along the forest preserve path that January morning, she spotted a figure at the end of the trail. She hesitated for a moment, trying to make out the shape before

her, and in that instant, two pit bulls lunged at her from either side. One bore its teeth into her right arm, and the other latched onto her left leg. For 20 minutes, Murphy-Smith struggled to keep herself standing, even as the dog at her leg tore away at her calf muscle.

When the dogs managed to drag her to the ground, one of them began shredding her winter scarf, unraveling it from around her neck. As the other pulled her glove from her

hand, she found herself thinking, “This is it. This is how I am going to die.” And everything then went quiet.

“I looked up,” she recounted, “and I saw my father just sitting there. All of a sudden I got this tremendous energy, and I felt a force go down my arm. There was a stick lying on the ground before me, and I was able to pick it up. As

the dog was coming right for my face, I shoved the stick into his mouth.”

Murphy-Smith remembers feeling the strength of two hands pulling her to her feet. Her right arm slack and badly damaged, she swung the stick at the dogs with her left arm, backing her way in between two outgrowing branches of a tree. And as she stepped through the tree, she shook free of the dogs, sliding down the slope of the trail into a clearing.

When she came upon a busy intersection, she stood at the side of the street, waving for any car to stop to rescue her, but no one so much as slowed down. Exhausted from tremendous blood

Running to Heal — and Help

oI have competed well;

I have finished the race…the Lord stood by me

and gave me strength…and I was rescued from

the lion’s mouth.

loss, she laid herself down along the road’s yellow line with her stick held in the air. finally, two nurses pulled to the side of the street and called an ambulance to come for her.

it wasn’t until the ambulance had arrived, and the police had set out to capture the dogs, that a second runner — a woman Murphy-smith had been acquainted with — was found in critical condition along the trail after having been attacked by the same dogs. she was rushed into the operating room but did not survive her surgery.

following her own operation, Murphy-smith recalls the first words from her surgeon: “The good news is that you’ll be able to run again.”

Just eight months after the incident, Murphy-smith was lacing up her running shoes. she walked more than she ran, and spent long hours in the rehabilitation center at the hospital trying to regain her strength as a runner. she battled post-traumatic stress, was forced into a career change by her injuries, and grew more fearful of dogs on her daily runs.

now, years later, Murphy-smith has found a reason to return to running in earnest: Mercy home.

“i couldn’t believe how wonderful a place Mercy home was for these kids who don’t have a home,” she said of her first visit to the Boys campus. “Participating in the marathon for Mercy really pushed me to get back into running.”

Just as she was rescued from the lion — or the pit bull’s mouth, as she has said — Murphy-smith was eager for the opportunity to assist in the rescue and healing of the young men and women of Mercy home.

“What is so neat, is that what got me through my healing was my faith, my family and my friends,” said Murphy-smith. “They surrounded me; they embraced me. And i’ve thought to myself, Mercy home is a rescue for these young people and they become faith-filled members of the family, and they become friends.”

When Murphy-smith took to the streets on october 9 for her fifth chicago Marathon, she was a true Mercy home hero, overcoming the greatest of obstacles to deliver healing and change to kids who were once very much like her — wounded and in need of being rescued.

t h e Wa i f s ’ m e s s e n g e r 13

In Mercy Home, Mary Murphy-Smith found a reason to run again after suffering an attack by two pit bulls in 2003.

14 C h r i s t m a s 2 0 1 1

For more information on how to become a Mercy Home Hero, please contact Amber Cerveny at (312) 738-7567 or ambcer@mercyhome.org.

A special thank you to our friends for their extraordinary efforts on behalf of the children of Mercy Home.

† rose e. Adam, inverness, il † Karleen Arnsmeyer, hermann, Mo † Agnes lucille Ashton, everett, WA † charles Aylstock, cincinnati, oh † raymond Becker, Attica,ny † William Brandt, fairfax, VA † Pasquale campana,

Williamsport, PA † shirley coderre, Weatogue, cT † gregory corigliano, Brooklyn, ny † catherine elevicz, Burbank, il † Beverly fiorella, highlands

ranch, co † Mildred gierlacki, norridge, il † eugene hargraves, laPalma, cA † Joseph harmata, harrisburg, VA

† genevieve hilgen, Arlington heights, il

† Marguerite Jaquez, farmington, nM

† Marie V. Kaiser, Michigan city, in † Michael and rose M.

Kearney, Batavia, il † Mildred Keller, lancaster, oh † florence King,

strawberry Point, iA † lorraine B. Kloidt, columbia, PA † catherine A. Koness,

Punta gorda, fl † emily Kopley, new Bern, nc † lottie Kubiak, Merrillville, in † ronald J. lue, Albany, ny

† James f. Maloney, chehalis, WA † Barbara Moyers, rockville, MD † evelyn naumeic, chicago, il † genevieve T. o’connor,

Watchung, nJ † Mary odehnal, Berwyn, il † Margaret olscese, fairlawn, nJ † John Pavcak, Whiting, in † Dorothy Plepel, naperville, il † henry f. solper, Bottineau, nD † Donald l. stuesse, union, Mo † Dorothy f. sward, green Bay, Wi † Anita c. Thibeau, franconia, VA † William c. Tillman, Walton, Ky † Washington Watley, sr.,

Wichita falls, TX

Our Friends RememberedWe wish to acknowledge special friends and benefactors who have remembered Mercy home for Boys & girls in their estate plans and have gone to their eternal rest. Please remember them in your prayers.

if you wish to include Mercy home for Boys & girls in your estate plans, our legal name is: The Mission of Our Lady of Mercy, Inc.

★  ★  ★  ★  ★  ★  ★  ★  ★  ★  ★  ★  ★  ★  ★

Hero #82, Chicago Marathon Team

Mercy Home Heroes has a team of over 70 runners who recently ran 26.2 miles during

the Chicago Marathon. Coming from all walks of life, these runners ranged from 19

to 58 years old — and they traveled from the city, suburbs and nine different states

in support of Mercy Home. For 18 weeks, they dedicated themselves to rigorous

training, and they pledged to raise $1,000 each, though many exceeded even their

own expectations. Collectively, this committed group raised a total of $50,000! During their training, they became a team in the truest sense of the word. They

gathered at Mercy Home for Fun Runs, socializing and even a delicious pasta

dinner before their big day. And when race day arrived, and they ran by Mercy

Home at miles 14 and 16, a crowd of their family and friends, energized by a

drum line, had a special section from which to cheer them on. Afterward, the

team celebrated its hard-earned victory with friends and family in Charity Village.

Thank you to each and every runner who went the extra mile for our kids!

t h e Wa i f s ’ m e s s e n g e r 1 5

BEANOrevisited

by Margaret Ahern

first published in the

December 1951 edition

of The Waifs’ Messenger.

Make Christmas twice as bright for Mercy Home’s kids!

Did you know that your company could double — or even triple — your gifts to Mercy Home’s boys and

girls this holiday season, and throughout the year?

Thousands of companies nationwide have corporate matching gift programs that match or exceed gifts their employees

make to Mercy home. some even match gifts made by retirees, employees’ spouses or board members.

There is no cost to you — all it takes is filling out a short form from your employer’s human resources Department

and sending it to Mercy home. We’ll do the rest!

for more information on employee matching gift programs, as well as a growing list of companies that match gifts to

Mercy home, visit mercyhome.org/matchinggifts or call sarah Wilkins at (312) 738-7585.

mercyhome.org/matchinggifts

Adam’s young life was nothing short of a nightmare. When he was just a baby, his mother was diagnosed with schizophrenia but refused to treat her illness.

By the time Adam found his way to Mercy Home, he had suffered years of violence, loneliness and fear at the hands of his own mother. But through the kindness and generous support of Mercy Home’s Guardian Angels, Adam was able to work toward a path to healing.

Every day, Guardian Angels make a very real, direct impact on the youth of Mercy Home. Through a committed giving schedule, these dedicated friends pledge to support the programs that help our children turn their lives around.

There’s no obligation to join the ranks of our Guardian Angels, and any gift amount—large or small—will be most gratefully welcomed by our kids. Just knowing that you have committed your support and prayers to our mission will be a wonderful blessing.

Please consider becoming a Guardian Angel to our children today. Your pledge has the power to save lives.

Father Scott, I would like to be a Guardian Angel to the kids of Mercy Home!

I will do my best to share a regular gift of: $___________ Monthly  Quarterly

 I’m enclosing my first Guardian Angel gift of: $___________

Name __________________________________________________________________

Address ________________________________________________________________

City ___________________________ State _____________________ Zip __________

Please mail your gift to: Mercy Home for Boys & Girls • 1140 West Jackson Blvd. • Chicago, IL 60607

“Sometimes my mom would get so angry she would take everything away from me—my blankets, my jacket, even my shoes—and kick me out of the house. Even when it was the middle of winter. She just didn’t care.”

—Adam, 12 years old

Call 877-Mercy55(877-637-2955)

to join today!

Angel to a ChildBecome a Guardian