Empowering Youth through Education

Graduation represents a major milestone in the life of any young person. But this honor is particularly special for the young men and women who live at Mercy Home, former residents who remain involved with us through our AfterCare program, and youth participating in our Friends First mentoring program.  

Young people come to Mercy Home already grappling with serious life challenges such as abuse, neglect, unsafe homes, or sometimes, no place at all that they can call home. Your support allows us to give children like these the emergency necessities of food, clothing, and shelter.  And further, it enables us to provide therapy and guidance that help kids work though their emotional traumas.

These same kids also face challenges in getting a quality education. Many struggle in school before coming to Mercy Home and arrive well behind their peers academically. This imperils their chances at enjoying a successful life. 

But thanks to our faithful donors and dedicated volunteers, we are able to provide the academic support needed to help these kids catch up and achieve. This spring, 42 of these young people will walk triumphantly across the stage at graduation ceremonies across Chicagoland. As they walk, they move toward brighter futures built on a solid educational foundation, and by the support we receive from friends like you.

There are a number of ways we work to make graduation day possible for our young people. For example, our program known as the Academy organizes the resources we provide to help kids meet educational challenges. We place kids in Chicago-area private and public schools and learning programs that are the most appropriate in addressing their academic needs and accelerating their success. Back at Mercy Home, volunteer tutors support our kids' school work four nights a week. And, we provide after-school learning experiences and coursework that enhances academic and vocational preparedness.

Supporting the work of the Academy and increasing our young people's access to education and vocational opportunities, is a group of leading women in the Chicagoland business and civic communities known as the Leader Council.

Leader Council members are dedicated and committed advocates for children who work to help us bridge the education gap faced by so many of our young people.  Leader Council members donate time, talent, financial support and professional resources to open doors to learning and achievement for our young people.

Thanks to their efforts, more young people who have come to us from severely disadvantaged circumstances are going on to success in education, securing good jobs, and building brighter futures.

The Leader Council is critical in securing funding for private schools and specialized learning centers that offer our children smaller classes and more personalized attention. This funding is essential as the cost of providing education for our kids continues to rise and we continue to admit more academically disadvantaged young people every year.

This spring, we will honor our young men and women who have worked so hard to earn their diplomas and degrees. We hope you will also stand with us in applauding these young people and continue to support their continued success both at Mercy Home and beyond.