A Place to Call Home
Mercy Home helped Taylor overcome a childhood of homelessness and poverty to look forward to a future of success. She has finally found what she always longed for: a safe place to call home.
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About Christa Rooks
Christa Rooks is the Communications Coordinator at Mercy Home for Boys & Girls. Christa was previously the editor of a weekly newspaper on the North Shore of Chicago, where she covered everything local news. When not writing, she can be found declaring her love for Diet Coke to anyone who will listen.
Entries by Christa Rooks
From Dark Place to Bright Future
October 11, 2018 /5 Comments/in Stories asia, care, change her life, getting in trouble, grades, grandmother, home, home asia, life, mercy, mercy home, mercy home asia, rashaun, school, started, started getting, started getting in trouble, time, wanted, youth care Optional /by Christa RooksFor Asia, academics were never the issue. She was a decent student and got along with her teachers. It was her home life that felt like a dark void.
Honoring Some of Our Kids’ Biggest Supporters
October 1, 2018 /0 Comments/in Blog, Home Updates, News at&t, career, career resources, career resources team, employers, experience, internship experiences, learned, mercy, mercy home, opportunity, people, post-secondary options, professional, resources team, skills, summer, team, yazmin, young people Optional /by Christa RooksThis summer, Mercy Home’s young people had the opportunity to put their job skills into practice through professional internships. They welcomed their employers for the annual Employer Appreciation Dinner—a chance to share our gratitude honoring some of our kids’ biggest supporters.
Mercy Home Heroes Spotlight: Danette Cristel
September 27, 2018 /4 Comments/in Mercy Home Heroes chicago, danette, felt, headquarters, hero, heroes, home, home hero, knew, marathon, mercy, mercy home, mercy home hero, mother, people, pretty, proud, run, running, walked into the headquarters Optional /by Christa RooksOn the morning of Danette Cristel’s first marathon as a Mercy Home Hero, she received unthinkable news: her mother had passed away.
Six Ways Mercy Home’s Kids Get Ready for the School Year
August 21, 2018 /0 Comments/in Home Updates binders, boys, girls, help, home, kids receive, mercy, mercy home, new school, public, public transportation, receive, skills, start, summer, summer enrichment, supplies, transportation, work, young people Optional /by Christa RooksWith a new school year already upon us, the boys & girls at Mercy Home are hard at work preparing for another successful year and getting ready for school!
Three Decades of Care: Monti’s Story
August 8, 2018 /2 Comments/in Home Updates cabrini green, comfort zone, girls campus, how to play, learning experience, mercy, mercy home, monti, one day, program, program staff, responsibility for their actions, safe space, take responsibility for their actions, trauma is something, women, young ladies, young people, young woman, young women Optional /by Christa RooksMercy Home is blessed with talented coworkers who make a difference in our kids’ lives. One of them is Monti Clayton, who has been with the Home since 1989.
Mercy Home Receives Serve Illinois Grant
July 16, 2018 /0 Comments/in Press Releases abuse, aftercare, alumni, americorps members, boys girls, children, community, graduate school, home for boys, home for boys girls, mercy, mercy home, mercy home for boys, mercy home for boys girls, mercyworks, neglect, receive, service, west loop, year of service Optional /by Christa RooksMercy Home for Boys & Girls received a grant from Serve Illinois in support of 12 AmeriCorps members serving in its MercyWorks program.
Young Man Gains Direction at Mercy Home
June 11, 2018 /1 Comment/in Stories 9-5 job, began, christina, didn't know, do with my life, information, internship, mercy, mercy home, people, video, video games, working Optional /by Christa RooksWhen Sal began arguing with his mom all the time, it became clear to both of them that something needed to change – he needed direction.
Reflections from the Rita Clubs
May 9, 2018 /0 Comments/in Mercy Home History 18 years, 18 years old, catholic high, catholic high school, chicago, club was located, find employment, friend linda, high school, mercy home's, moved into the rita, moved into the rita club, north avenue, rita, rita club, rita club was located, rita clubs, waifs messenger, years old, young women /by Christa RooksLong before Mercy Home’s Walsh Girls Campus opened in 1987, our Rita Clubs provided safe and affordable housing to young women in Chicago.
Fish Tanks Provide Therapeutic Benefits at Mercy Home
May 2, 2018 /0 Comments/in Resources being cared for represents both, both a regulating and aspirational, calm peacefulness unity, characterized by calm peacefulness, characterized by calm peacefulness unity, fish swimming floating, fish swimming floating playing, fish tank, fish tank in the learning, fish tanks, fish tanks provide, floating playing and being cared, general happiness and satisfaction, mercy home, regulating and aspirational activity, seeing the fish swimming, seeing the fish swimming floating, sense of general happiness, swimming floating playing, tank in the learning center /by Christa RooksAt Mercy Home for Boys & Girls, fish tanks are a recognizable theme in many common spaces. Learn about the therapeutic benefits of fish tanks and how their presence can be calming for our boys and girls.
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Mercy Home for Boys & Girls, a 501(c)(3), licensed child care institution and licensed child welfare agency. EIN: 36-2171726