Waifs' Messenger Winter 2011

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

Winter 2011 • Volume 111, Number 3 Publ i shed for over 100 years

Inside: Sk at ing for Joy • Tutors Inst i l l Conf idence • From St r i fe to St ra ight A’s • Music Li f t s Spir it s • Nature’s Hea l ing Power

2 W I N T E R 2 0 1 12 W I N T E R 2 0 1 1

Let it show…

Kidz Korner

Just look at these faces! The bright smiles, hearts full of hope and gratitude—these are the faces of the children whose lives your generous friendship so deeply impacts. Through your kindness and support, these kids

can, at long-last, enjoy the magic and wonder of wintertime. Whether they’re

outside our front door relishing in a snowball fight or gliding across

an ice skating rink, thanks to you, they are comforted by the knowledge that a secure Home and loving family await them at the end of a chilly winter’s day.

Let it show…

T H E WA I F S ’ M E S S E N G E R 3

Contents

Embracing Education 4–5

Alisha’s Story 6–7

Music at Mercy 8–9

Spiritual Retreat 10–11

How Will You Be Remembered? 12–13

Mercy Home Heroes 14

Double Your Gift 15

One of my favorite parables that Jesus shares with us in the Gospels revolves around a gardener and his abiding belief in a fig tree’s potential.

You see, there’s this fig tree that has yet to yield any fruit. The owner of the fig tree tells his gardener to cut the tree down, as it is not fulfilling its intended purpose—to produce figs for the owner to sell.

The gardener, having affection for that which is in his charge and faith in God’s creations, begged the owner to give the tree a second chance. He asked the owner to reserve his judgment until every method had been exhausted. Even though the odds are against him, the gardener promises to cultivate the soil and fertilize the ground, giving the tree every opportunity to produce figs.

As I reread that parable and prayed over its meaning, it occurred to me that the care of the gardener is very much the same care that we provide for the children here at Mercy Home for Boys & Girls.

These children often come to us broken, battered, bruised and neglected. They come to us having abandoned hopes and dreams, and feeling as though they have little, if anything, to offer the world.

It is my belief that if we give these kids a chance—or a second, third or fourth, or however many it

takes—that they’ll be able to create a positive, rewarding future for themselves. One filled with unlimited potential.

We do this by giving our young people a safe and happy Home, providing them with excellent role models and—as you’ll read in this issue of The Waifs’ Messenger—truly unique educational and spiritual opportunities.

On pages 10–11 you’ll find a remarkable story of our kids’ recent spiritual journey. This special gathering, made possible through your generous support, lends our children self-awareness and confidence while teaching them to nurture their spirits.

I’m also thrilled to introduce you to Alisha (pages 6–7), a young woman who, like our fig tree in the Gospel, looked to be lost. But through faith and a newfound hope, she has grown into a most promising young adult.

Of course, none of this would be possible without our faithful friends like you. Your encouraging support—much like the gardener’s—continues to nourish this mission’s work. And while that gardener is left to wait and see if his faith is rewarded, I can assure you that your love and commitment are bearing fruit every day through the successes, large and small, of our girls and boys.

Father Scott’s ReflectionFather Scott’s ReflectionFather Scott’s ReflectionFather Scott’s ReflectionFather Scott’s ReflectionFather Scott’s ReflectionFather Scott’s ReflectionFather Scott’s ReflectionFather Scott’s ReflectionPotential is Paramount

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

visit www.mercyhome.org.

4 W I N T E R 2 0 1 1

o matter how smart a young person may be, if he is disorganized, he is less likely to succeed. Raffi was a good example of this—until he got help from Mercy Home.

Raffi was always bright, but he wasn’t living up to his potential. He grew up in a single-parent household with his mom working long hours to support her two sons. Raffi often came home after school to an empty house. Without structure and oversight, Raffi usually put off starting his homework until late in the evening. He’d often stay up until 2 a.m. working on his assignments.

Compounding the lack of effort, Raffi was also disorganized. “I didn’t use an assignment notebook,” he said. “I never knew what to bring home from school, or what to bring back to school.” An unstructured home environment and poor organizational habits placed a severe strain on the young man both inside and outside of the classroom. Ultimately, Raffi lost the motivation to complete his homework at all and he began to openly defy his teachers.

When his schoolwork looked like it couldn’t get any worse, Raffi’s mom began to look for help. She found Mercy Home on the Internet and placed a call that would change her son’s life. In January of 2009, Raffi moved into Mercy Home. Like so many of our kids, he was unused to having structure built into his day. He was unaccustomed to having adults there to make sure he did his homework. But soon enough, he began to succeed in school. With a set study time and bedtime each night, Raffi was able to complete his homework and get to bed before 10 o’clock—like most 12-year-olds.

Through volunteer tutors that Mercy Home provides five nights a week, Raffi was able to get one-on-one help with his homework. He also had someone there to hold him accountable for his schoolwork and his grades.

“At Mercy Home, your grades are monitored and you can get help when you need it,” Raffi said. “There’s always a child care worker around and you can tell they really care about their job.”

E D U C A T I O N

Structure, Discipline Key to SuccessA’s and B’s New Norm for Previously Struggling Student

n

“There’s always

a child care

worker around

and you can tell

they really care

about their job.”

» Raffi

At Mercy Home, Raffi found the guidance, support and encouragement he needed to excel in his studies.

❄


Recently, in partnership with the Rush Neurobehavioral Center, Mercy Home implemented an executive functioning program, which taught Raffi how to use an assignment notebook, helped him to keep his assignments in order and showed him how to prioritize his schoolwork. The executive functioning program has helped many of our kids become more goal directed, improve their organizational processes and practice better time management—all of which help in school and social settings.

“Executive functioning helps me a lot,” Raffi said. “It helps me make sure that everything is organized and in the right place.”

Almost a year after Raffi walked through Mercy Home’s doors for the first time, he is doing markedly better in school. His most recent

progress report showed that he’s earning all A’s and B’s, is turning in his homework on time and is following school rules.

Raffi’s is not an uncommon story at Mercy Home. Many kids come to us more than two years behind in core subjects like math and reading. Their struggles stem from a variety of pressures in and out of the classroom, but so often, they are intelligent kids who just never learned the skills needed to follow through on schoolwork. But given the right tools and resources, these kids can be overachievers; they can be receiving A’s and B’s instead of failing. You give them these tools through your support of Mercy Home. You open the doors for kids like Raffi to use the gifts they already have, and to realize their full potential. And for this, we thank you.

Through the support of faithful friends like you, we are able to offer our kids the very best education possible—and the tools to help them achieve success.

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espite being very young, so many kids come to Mercy Home for Boys & Girls having already lived full lifetimes of pain and hardship. They know what it’s like to live on the run. They know what it’s like to be physically and emotionally abused. They know what it’s like to lose someone close to them. Alisha knows hardships like these. But if you saw her today, you could hardly imagine all that she’s overcome.

Today, the 16-year-old high school sophomore is getting straight A’s in school. She is the president of the debate club. Overall, she is a happy, ambitious teenager. Alisha works part time at a local sandwich shop and recently made the junior varsity basketball team at her high school. It’s hard to believe that a mere two years ago, Alisha viewed simply attending high school—much less succeeding there—as nothing but a dream.

Alisha had it rough from the start. “We were always moving around,” she said. “I didn’t stay in any school for more than a year.” She was born to a mother who was addicted to crack cocaine, and who used the drug throughout her pregnancy. Her biological father was arrested on drug-related charges while her mom was pregnant, and has been incarcerated for the last 17 years. Her mother, Kayla, who continues to struggle with drug addiction, was left to care for young Alisha by herself, and she moved the two of them around frequently. Before Alisha was 5, she and her mother had stayed off and on at 10 different apartments, and crashed on the couches of sympathetic friends. Her mother often disappeared.

“Sometimes I would come home from school to the place that we last stayed, and they would tell me that my mom left,” Alisha said. “I had to find out where she went.”

Eventually, Kayla’s friends and family could no longer enable her drug habits and her irresponsible ways. Nor could they allow the family to stay in their homes. After nearly a year of toughing it out in shelters, Kayla moved herself and her daughter to Tennessee to live with a man whom she barely knew. That man turned out to be physically abusive toward both Kayla and Alisha.

Kayla fled back to Chicago with her daughter. Her sister Lucy, who was aware of Kayla’s drug habit, offered to support her and Alisha on the condition that Kayla check herself in to a drug rehabilitation center. In July of 2006, Kayla did, and for the first time in Alisha’s young life, she was living in a stable environment in her aunt’s Lucy’s home while her mother was working to get clean.

The next year, Kayla graduated from rehab and set her sights creating a better life for her family. She married a man named Tom and moved into his house in Chicago’s south suburbs. Alisha now found herself enjoying the loving family life she’d always dreamed about.

“Tom was like my dad,” Alisha said. “He always helped me with my homework and took me out to eat at my favorite places.”

Things seemed to be looking up, but after just a year, Alisha received a

d

Y O U T H S T O R Y

Rocky Road Turns Smooth Teen Flourishes Knowing ‘Where Next Meal Will Come From’

“[Mercy Home has]

offered me

more support

and love in

the last two

years than my

mom ever did.”

» Alisha

❄


terrible jolt when Tom was killed in a car accident. Faced with the devastating news, Kayla relapsed and fell deep into drugs. Alisha, meanwhile, was growing into a teenager and her aunt, who was unable to support her any longer, needed to find another solution. Through a counselor at their church, she found Mercy Home.

Alisha took to Mercy Home right away. The structure, stability and support that we offer gave Alisha the chance to succeed. She stopped worrying about where she and her mother would sleep that night. She knew when and where her next meal would come from. She was finally able to have the life that she enjoyed when she lived with Tom—but this time, she knew it could not and would not be taken away.

“At first, it was hard for me to understand that the staff at Mercy Home could care about me so much,” she said. “They’ve offered me more support and love in the last two years than my mom ever did.”

It’s because of good friends like you that Alisha has the stability, safety and support she needs to plot a course for a real future. She is determined to succeed. And we know that with your continued support and friendship, anything is possible for this remarkable young woman.

Rocky Road Turns Smooth Teen Flourishes Knowing ‘Where Next Meal Will Come From’


Through hard work and determination, Carissa dedicated herself to her studies—and the knowledge and confidence she’s gained as a result will last her a lifetime.

T H ET H ET H E WA I F S ’WA I F S ’WA I F S ’ M E S S E N G E R M E S S E N G E R M E S S E N G E R 7

Through hard work and determination, Carissa dedicated herself to her studies—and the knowledge and confidence she’s gained as a result will last her a lifetime.

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

Alisha knows she has generous friends like you to thank for the bright future she now has ahead of her.

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M U S I C T H E R A P Y

he halls of Mercy Home are alive with the sound of music. The tinkling of a piano, the gentle strumming of a guitar, and the staccato beating of a snare drum waft from room to room.

But Mercy Home’s kids aren’t starting up a band—at least, not yet. They are participating in one of our brand new initiatives here at the Home: music therapy.

Each Thursday and Friday afternoon, our boys and girls have the opportunity to attend music lessons with a licensed music therapist. Our young people are offered a host of instruments to master over the course of several weeks. Whether they choose the violin, voice or the piano, these kids are finding a creative outlet for self-expression and a healthy avenue for channeling some of their anger, fear or pain.

Debbie, a staff member in our Education Department praises the new program as a spirited and creative companion to our children’s traditional ongoing therapy sessions. “It’s great to see how much [the kids] love going each week and learning new things in such an energized and therapeutic atmosphere.”

Music has long been considered a healing influence, and music therapy has been used widely in hospitals, nursing homes and schools to alleviate physical and emotional pain for everyone from Alzheimer’s patients to the chronically depressed.

Traditionally, music therapy begins with an assessment of each participant’s needs, paying special attention to their emotional well-being, communication abilities, and social and cognitive functioning. From

Music Fills Mercy Home with Healing, Inspiration

t

Piano lessons are just one of the many classes now being offered through our new music therapy program. These music lessons not only broaden our kids’ horizons, but they also bring healing, imagination and creative expression into their lives.

T H E WA I F S ’ M E S S E N G E R 9T H E WA I F S ’ M E S S E N G E R 9T H E WA I F S ’ M E S S E N G E R 9

there, each music lesson, whether private or group-oriented, is designed to address these strengths and weaknesses through songwriting, music play and performance.

Here at Mercy Home, a great number of our kids have enthusiastically signed up for group drumming lessons. “This class teaches our youth to compromise and helps them learn to work as a team,” says Debbie. “The music therapist works with each drum student, helping them grow in the areas of teamwork and patience.”

But our newest program isn’t just about teaching these valuable lessons to our young people. Our music therapy classes are also intended to inspire our children to dream—and dream big.

Before they came to Mercy Home, many of our kids would never have thought of playing a musical instrument. Living in homes where even the basic necessities of food and proper clothing were scarce—not to mention attending poverty-stricken schools that often cut music programs to stay afloat—our children were never given the chance to

experience the imagination, discipline and beauty that music-making inspires.

But now, due in part to your faithful friendship, our boys and girls are tapping into their creative souls and taking up instruments that offer them rewards and challenges in equal measure.

Some of our children, true poets at heart, have even expressed an interest in writing their own lyrics. Without the musical know-how, they were never able to write a song. Now, with the help of our music therapist, these budding lyricists are learning to compose their own music and bring their words to life.

Thanks to the continued support of friends like you, Mercy Home’s young people have a greater chance to realize their potential and improve their lives—now more than ever. And each Thursday and Friday evening, as our Home erupts into song, trust that our family will be giving thanks to you for the spirit, creativity and healing that your friendship has helped bring into our children’s lives.

Through your generous support, our boys and girls have had the opportunity to take up a musical instrument for the first time. Encouraging hard work, discipline and creativity, our music therapy program is garnering much excitement from kids and staff members alike.

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S P I R I T U A L R E T R E A T

n addition to a roof over their heads, warm clothes to wear and nutritious meals to eat, we work hard to provide our children with therapeutic ways to heal. Some of our boys and girls find that art or music therapy (as you read about on pages 8 and 9) is helpful as a creative outlet to channel their energy. Others find peace in group therapy or by going on one of our retreats.

This is exactly what a group of our young men experienced when they attended the annual Mercy Home Spiritual Retreat, led by several of our childcare workers.

During the two-day trip, our young men were invited to partake in a variety of activities, including readings and group discussions.

“All of the activities were centered on God’s love,” said Mario, a staff member here at Mercy Home. “It was truly a wonderful opportunity for the young men to explore their spirituality.”

Our boys went on nature walks, exploring the beauty of the woods surrounding the retreat house they stayed in. For many of them, this was the first time they had left the city; this was their first opportunity to enjoy nature. These walks also offered many quiet places for reflection and solace.

“The nature walk was one of the most memorable moments of the trip this year,” said Mario. “The kids were amazed by the wild turkeys and foxes they saw, and by how God spoke to them through nature.”

Later, the childcare workers led our boys in group therapy sessions, where they could share their thoughts and offer support to each other. Through these sessions, our young men were able to connect with others who had the same interests or questions about their faith.

“The retreat offered the boys a chance to connect with God on a personal level and to understand their belief system,” said Mario. “They learned where to draw strength and encouragement from.”

They focused on learning how to respect and care for each other. Many of the boys on the trip bonded with

Nature, Solitude Foster Faith and Trust

i“The retreat offered the

boys a chance to connect

with God on a personal

level and to understand their belief system.”

» Mario, Mercy Home staff member

❄

Our children found solace and comfort in moments of quiet reflection during our latest Spiritual Retreat.


each other in ways they never thought they would. Two of our young men formed a new friendship because, as they said, “we now understand where the other is coming from.”

“The best part of the retreat is when our young people start to open up and express how religion is a huge part of their lives,” said Mario.

Our young women had an equally impactful spiritual retreat. This year’s theme was “Trust: Trusting Yourself, Trusting God and Trusting Others.”

During the retreat, the girls participated in a trust walk, in which a young woman wearing a blindfold was guided along by another, teaching the girls to trust and lean on one another.

Our young women also went on a nighttime spiritual walk, where each girl followed a path dotted with luminaries that led to

different points of reflection. Afterward, our childcare workers prayed individually with each young woman. Many of our girls agreed this was the highlight of the trip.

“The best part was the spiritual walk,” said Mercy Home youth Keisha. “I felt like I was walking into the arms of God.”

Overall, the retreat had a profound spiritual impact on our young men and women.

Mario said, “I believe they left with a clearer sense of God in their everyday life and how much He cares for them.”

Thanks to wonderful friends like you, we are able to make these trips possible. Our young men and women come from lives full of strife and abuse, and with your help we are able to offer them the spiritual and therapeutic healing they need. We are so blessed for your friendship.

Nature, Solitude Foster Faith and Trust

Our Spiritual Retreats encourage our young people to look inward, and to explore and strengthen their relationships with God—and with themselves.

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b

P L A N N E D G I V I N G

egin with the end in mind.

Back in the ’60s, I was taught by the Sisters of St. Dominic. They had high expectations for their students, but almost 50 years later I can still remember much of the sisters’ advice.

For example, in religion class we were warned to guard against bad habits; they could lead to our ruin. These good women wanted us to grow up strong and they were also genuinely concerned for our souls.

In 1990, the famous author Stephen Covey looked at habits in a different light, focusing on those that could actually be good for us. One habit he recommended was “Begin with the end in mind.”

Whether we are fighting bad habits or cultivating good ones, the exercise is the same: we must look inside ourselves before we make an important decision.

Covey’s idea of beginning with the end in mind suggests that we will be judged by the impact of our decisions, and our decisions—at their heart—are a reflection of our character.

When we can picture in our mind’s eye the look and feel of what we are setting out to accomplish, it not only motivates us, it also influences our decisions. Peace of mind comes about by being true to who we are when we set our goals.

Here’s a test to ponder: What if strangers were able to view all the critical

decisions you have made in life? What would these strangers say about you? Would they know what values were dear to you? What would they say about your character, your morals and your heart?

Would they know what your life stood for?

I encourage you to bring that thinking to bear when you review your will or when you create it for the first time. Would those who read your will know about your values … your character … your heart … what your life stood for?

There is a term “Final Will and Testament.” Legal definitions aside, consider what your will is a testament to. It could be so much more than an instruction guide for disposing of your earthly possessions. It could serve as a love letter to those people and institutions you have cared about so deeply during life.

Would you ever consider including the children of Mercy Home for Boys and Girls in your last will and testament? They are children you have cared for during life. You have helped them to become who God intended them to be. For that, they will always be in your debt.

As we plan for a Mercy Home future, we must look to the past. For almost 124 years we have yet to have a shortage of children who desperately need a second chance at life. That trend will most likely continue. But one

How Will You Be Remembered?

What if strangers were able to view all the critical

decisions you have made

in life? What would these strangers say about you?

❄


How Will You Be Remembered?

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.

can’t help wonder, who will be there to care for our future children?

Perhaps it will be you.

It doesn’t take much. Writing your will is relatively inexpensive, especially when compared to the blood, sweat and tears you put into your life’s work. And making a bequest to Mercy Home would mean so much to our boys and girls.

You can make a specific bequest to support our Home, leave a percentage of your estate, or give us a portion of what remains after you’ve taken care of others whom you love. Some folks even make Mercy Home the sole or partial beneficiary of a life insurance policy. (Our corporate title is “The Mission of Our Lady of Mercy, Inc.”)

If you already have a will, you could contact your attorney to write a

codicil to your will. A codicil is a simple addition that takes little time or trouble. Think of the impact that loving gesture could have on our children!

Don’t hesitate to call our office at (800) 378-8266 if you would like to discuss the possibilities further. Or feel free to complete the coupon below to request your free planning guide, “Techniques for Planning a Successful Will.”

By the way, an additional bonus for those who do remember us in their estate plans is membership in our Archangel Society. It offers many spiritual benefits, including a perpetual remembrance in our Masses and prayers.

Thank you for the mercy you have extended to the kids of Mercy. You have truly blessed us.

To learn more, call us at (800) 378-8266 Please send me your free booklet, Techniques for Planning a Successful Will

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

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For more information on how to become a Mercy Home Hero, please contact Karen at (312) 738-7567 or [email protected].

hero #25, Brendan

On his 35th birthday, Mercy Home mentor

Brendan ran the Chicago Marathon to

raise money for our Home. “It is truly a

special place and an organization that I am

passionate about supporting,” he says. Thanks

to Brendan’s efforts, Mercy Home is officially

starting a Chicago Marathon team for 2011!

A special thank you to our friends for

their extraordinary efforts on behalf

of the children of Mercy Home.

† Marion Amann, Sandia, NM† Delia Anderson, Cuba, IL† Vera Baranauskas,

Woodbury, CT† Antoinette Beery,

Rolling Meadows, IL† Theresa Rose Bleemel,

Louisville, KY† William J. and Paula A.

Boyd, Sacramento, CA† Barbara Buckner, Pine City, MN† J. Doreen Chadbourne,

Yucca Valley, CA† Margaret Conner, Davenport, IA

† Anna Marie Croccia, Washington, DC

† Helen Dancs, Allentown, PA† Florence Devenish, Lisle, IL† William Gundel, Evanston, IL† Esther Hart, Moline, IL† Lillian Heimler, Beaver Dam, WI† George Hrdina, Fort Myers, FL† Alma Kuest, Fort Loramie, OH† Mary Lawrence, Chicago, IL† Lucien Letteriello,

Staten Island, NY† Dolores M. Mattei,

Cleveland, OH† James Meehan, Naperville, IL

† Mary LaVeta Meiers, Arlington Heights, IL

† Angie Noto, Tampa, FL† Anthony Puchenski,

Chesterton, IN† Beatrice M. Reischl, Belleville, IL† Robert Ryan, Canton, OH† Mary Jean Schummer,

Prospect Heights, IL† Margaret D. Seifen, Chicago, IL† Virginia Shall, Johnsonburg, PA† Edward F. Spencer,

Pensacola, FL† Helen M. Young, Sioux City, IA† Margaret Zummo, Northfield, IL

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.

For more information on how to become a

special place and an organization that I am

passionate about supporting,” he says. Thanks

to Brendan’s efforts, Mercy Home is officially

starting a Chicago Marathon team for 2011!

A special thank you to our friends for

their extraordinary

of the children of

Hero #62, Marleen

After many years in the working world, Marleen

decided to go back to school to pursue an

MBA. Years later, she celebrated her graduation

by asking her friends, colleagues and family

members to make donations to Mercy Home.

The donations were put to use providing

new shoes as our kids (above) headed back

to school this fall. Thank you, Marleen!


BEANOrevisited

by Margaret Ahern

First published in the

February 1954 edition

of The Waifs’ Messenger.

Watch your gift groDid you know that you can double your generous gifts to Mercy Home’s boys and girls year-round? Thousands of companies nationwide will double—or even triple—gifts their employees make to Mercy Home. Some will even match gifts made by retirees, employees’ spouses or board members.

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!

Double your impact on the lives of Mercy Home’s kids—and make 2011 their most promising yet!

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.

w!

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.

Become a Guardian Angel to a ChildBecome a Guardian Angel to a Child

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

“Sometimes my mom would get so angry she

Call 877-Mercy55(877-637-2955)

to join today!

Waifs' Messenger Winter 2011

Self Improvement

Transcript of Waifs' Messenger Winter 2011