December 23, 2025
One of Mercy Home’s most meaningful traditions is the Book of Service, an annual volume that summarizes the many ways our young people helped others throughout the community during the year. It is presented to the city of Chicago as a gift at Christmas. But we are so proud of the difference our kids made for so many, we want to share it with you.
Editor’s note: Mercy Home’s residential programs are composed of several smaller, named living spaces, or “homes,” contained within two Chicago campuses. The Book of Service below is organized around the activities of each home as reported by our young people.
Bernardin Home contributed meaningful service to the community this year.
The program supported local events by assisting with volunteer needs, encouraging community members through outreach efforts, and helping distribute food to families through area food pantries.
Bernardin Home also volunteered with a local food depository to repackage items for distribution to households across Chicago.
These experiences allowed the program to strengthen skills, build connections, and deepen our commitment to service. Bernardin Home looks forward to continuing our efforts to give back to the community.
“This year, Couderc Home didn’t just talk about giving back—we made it happen!”
We had a blast helping in so many ways. One of the coolest things we did was volunteer at the Bridge Teen Center. It felt amazing knowing we were helping other teens who might be going through tough times. We also kept it local with the Beverly Area Planning Association’s Clean and Green and the Ridge Run—because making our neighborhood look great is kind of our thing.
And we didn’t stop there! We served meals at Ronald McDonald House four times (yes, FOUR!) and even packed global meal kits with Feed My Starving Children.
Every project reminded us that helping others isn’t just important—it’s fun. Giving back has been at the heart of Couderc Home this year, and we’re proud of it!
This year, Seton Home volunteered frequently at the Greater Chicago Food Depository, where they packaged different foods and vegetables for those in the Chicagoland area.
Another frequent service opportunity was with Feed My Starving Children, where they hand packed rice, soy, dried vegetables, and a blend of vitamins and minerals into bags, which are then sealed, boxed, placed on pallets, and shipped to the children around the world.
They also helped with a community Christmas giveaway at Hamilton Park, helped with donations for Build a Better Classroom, and volunteered at Cradles to Crayons and The Farm at the Center over the past year.
The youth generally leave these activities feeling proud to give back.
Throughout the year of 2025, the ladies of Walgreen Home participated in many community service activities. Here are a few services in which we participated in.
Walgreen Home youth volunteered their services to Feed My Starving Children and The Chicago Food Depository, where they boxed up and packaged dried foods.
They also participated in a group with St. Andrew Greek Orthodox Church, where they made lunches for the homeless. Walgreen participated in Whistle Mania, driven by the mission of raising awareness and helping families with needed resources. They sorted through and organized donated food for families affected by the ICE raids, providing meals for families scared to shop for themselves within the community.
Lastly, Walgreen baked and passed out cookies for the neighborhood fire department and police station.
This year, Bosco Home has taken part in multiple community service projects.
In the spring, Bosco attended the Chicago River Clean Up, where youth cleaned up trash and debris from the Chicago River. We enjoyed contributing to a healthier environment while also getting the opportunity to kayak on the river.
Bosco Home also prepared and delivered meals to people experiencing homelessness in their community. During fall in the Pilsen neighborhood, youth worked together to pick up litter along the streets, helping their community stay clean. Bosco also spent time making encouraging cards for children with cancer hoping to bring them some comfort and joy during challenging times.
Bosco Home recently completed a service project with My Block, My Hood, My City on December 6. They enjoyed the opportunity to spread holiday cheer by decorating neighborhoods and homes on the South side of Chicago!
Campbell Home took seven youth to Clarksdale, Mississippi, to engage in a week of service at the Fuller Center. Youth worked at three locations throughout the week, painting, roofing, building a shed, removing framing at various locations, and installing windows and doors in a newly built house. A good time was had by all.
Throughout the year, youth in Cooke Home supported various communities in many ways, such as by creating and taking care packages to women living in Grace House, a residence for women who are exiting prisons and reentering into their own communities.
Cooke Home youth also invested time and efforts in ensuring parks that young kids visit were clean and welcoming. Youth self-organized to clean up Skinner Park.
As part of a kindness project, youth also created and posted words of encouragement and affirmation in community areas around various neighborhoods.
Cooke Home is a caring community of youth who believe in paying it forward in words and actions to support others who need reminders that they matter.
Kelly Home youth volunteered at World Vision this year. They packed boxes of school supplies for teachers and for students at Chicago schools that need additional resources and school supplies.
Reflection from a youth who attended:
“Volunteering to make kits for students was something great to do not only for the kids but for me as well. I enjoyed it because I was doing something for someone else that can help them with their future goals. I know some kids don’t have the privilege to get all the supplies they need for school, so us being able to make these kits for them is such a blessing. It will help them with their ability to have a successful school year. These kits are something great and I am really happy that I was able to take part in this. I hope I made some child’s day by letting them know that there’s people out there that are willing to do things to make life easier and better for them.”
In the spring, the Mahoney Home youth participated in Chicago River Day where they helped pick up trash from the Chicago River and around a boathouse.
While there, the youth reflected on how dirty the park and river were and how they felt as though others do not care about the wellbeing of the city. When asked what they can do to keep their communities clean, a couple of youth noted not littering, picking up trash more often, and encouraging others to do the same.
In the coming months, Mahoney Home hopes to engage in more service opportunities, specifically at the Greater Chicago Food Depository and Feed My Starving Children.
This year, the youth of Noha Home completed over 60 hours of community service, giving their time and energy to support others in meaningful ways.
Through packing snack bags for families at Ronald McDonald House, sorting food at the Greater Chicago Food Depository and Pilsen Food Pantry, caring for animals at PAWS, and organizing clothing and supplies at Cradles to Crayons, we learned the true meaning of service.
These experiences taught us compassion, responsibility, and gratitude. We saw firsthand that small acts can make a big difference and that our efforts matter.
Serving others helped us grow in patience, teamwork, and empathy, and it showed us the importance of giving back to our community. Most importantly, we learned that helping others also changes us for the better.
This year, the young men in Sheil Home dedicated their time to many different service projects and helped the community in many ways.
Sheil Home purchased and cooked a meal for those staying at a men’s shelter through Breakthrough’s Manna Ministry so that those experiencing homelessness would have something to eat.
They also volunteered at Urban Growers Collective Chicago Urban Farm by helping plant and weed. This farm builds a more just and equitable local food system in Chicago!
The youth also volunteered at the Children’s Farm at the Center, helping out with young kids who visited the farm, as well as educating visitors and spending time with the animals. They also worked to keep the community clean, participating in a beach cleanup at the Indiana Dunes.
Finally, Sheil Home committed to helping those in need of affordable housing realize their dream of homeownership. They helped with the construction of a new house through Habitat for Humanity in the spring, and in the summer, they traveled to Mississippi’s Fuller Center to help with painting, roofing, and building.
On September 2, Speh Home worked with the Garbage Gals to help clean up Skinner Park.
At first, some of us weren’t sure what to expect, but as soon as we started working together, we realized how important this job was. We picked up trash like bottles, cans, wrappers, and other items that didn’t belong in nature. We even made a competition out of it to see who picked up the most trash or the most unique piece of garbage.
Some of the things we found surprised us, and it helped us see how much trash can build up when people don’t take care of public spaces.
Working with the Garbage Gals showed us that small actions can make a big difference. Cleaning up just one area helped us understand that if everyone helped a little, our neighborhoods could stay cleaner and healthier.
Next time we visit, we’ll enjoy it even more knowing we helped keep it clean.
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