Village Night Connects Young People and Family

February 20, 2026

Bosco Home, a living program for boys at Mercy Home’s near West side Chicago campus, hosted its bi-annual village night with a Valentine’s Day theme in February. As is the tradition for Village Night events held at the home throughout the year, our young men welcomed their families into their living spaces to strengthen relationships, enjoy games and a share a meal.  

“We do village nights as a way to connect families with staff, connect families with their kids, and connect families with each other,” said Morgan Doyle, program manager of Bosco Home. “This is a great way to build community and have some fun.” 

Caregiving system engagement is foundational to Mercy Home’s therapeutic model. Village nights are dinner celebrations that offer our young people’s families an inside look at life at the Home. 

At Bosco Home’s village night, families ate tacos, pizza, and an array of side dishes. Then, the youth and their families read aloud notes that they wrote about the reasons they love one another. 

The group also split into teams (guardians vs. the youth) and played a game of friendly Family Feud followed by musical chairs.  

Village Nights offer families a meaningful opportunity to connect with other guardians of youth at Mercy Home. Although families often visit the home for structured purposes such as therapy sessions or care planning meetings, Village Nights create space for something more relaxed and fun.