Celebrating a Successful Year of Workplace Mentoring
Our Friends First mentoring program recently celebrated another successful year of its workplace-based model at its annual end-of-year barbecue. The...
June 25, 2026
March 6, 2023
Our young women marked both Valentine’s Day and Black History Month with a good old fashioned sock hop! Mercy Home coworkers Kayla White and Ariana Allen spoke to our girls about the four major African American sororities, the culture and history of these organizations, and how they can join once they enter college. They also stressed the inclusiveness of these sororities and how accepting they are of all types of women.
Some of the girls have never seen a sorority step dance. So, to cap off the presentation, Kayla and Ariana presented their sorority scrolls from Zeta Phi Beta and Delta Sigma Theta and performed a traditional step dance. The girls were eager to get up and dance along.

And keeping with the theme of Valentine’s Day, the girls received a special Valentine’s gift from members of Mercy Home’s Leader Council that included a cozy pair of Valentine-themed socks and Valentine’s Day bags.
Once the girls selected their socks and grabbed their bags, the music started, and the party was in full swing! The girls danced their stress away in their cozy Valentine socks to hits like “Cupid Shuffle” and “Watch Me (Whip/Nae Nae).” They also enjoyed some sweet treats from an ultimate ice cream bar that included three flavors of ice cream and twelve delicious toppings.
Sometimes, our young people may feel like they miss out on experiences that many of their peers enjoy. But our dedicated coworkers and our faithful supporters team up to ensure that our young people enjoy opportunities like this one to have fun while creating new and joyful memories right here at the Home.


“This time of year, you can get in a little bit of a slump,” Gewanda Monroe, a manager at our Girls Home. “We’ve had a few weeks here where different homes have had [young women who’ve] been struggling. Something like this where they all come together, and they all encourage each other and just get a chance to party and have fun—that’s always good encouragement.”
Thank you to our coworkers and to our Leader Council for helping to make this an enjoyable and educational experience for our young women.
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