October 11, 2017

When a new school year would start, Eric would receive high marks for the first month. He was a naturally bright student, and he showed his teachers a lot of potential.

But the next month, Eric would receive all failing grades. His teachers never knew why.

When Eric was in the classroom, he could barely look at the whiteboard. His mind was always racing. Sometimes he caught the teachers’ lessons, other times he didn’t. He just couldn’t focus.

As his school performance and his behavior worsened, Eric’s parents started to feel overwhelmed. So they sent him to live with his grandparents. The transition was hard on Eric. Once he moved, his parents rarely came to visit.

Eric wondered if his parents ever thought about him anymore. Their absence took a toll on his self-esteem. Though his grandparents did their best to support him, Eric felt abandoned.

One of Eric’s teachers pulled him aside at school to find out what was keeping him from living up to his potential. Eric confided in him, and his teacher told him about Mercy Home.

When Eric moved in, it took him a little while to get used to our daily schedule at Mercy Home. All of a sudden, there was a time for dinner, a time for studying, time for therapy and a time for chores. Having structure was new for Eric, and at first, he didn’t understand the value of it.

But after a few weeks, Eric started to notice just how much it was helping him. When he came home from school, it was easier for him to stay organized with his homework. When he sat down to study, it was easier for him to focus. And he had Mercy Home tutors who would stick with him through difficult assignments, even when he wanted to give up.

Once Eric started turning things around in school, he had time to pursue new interests. He participated in group activities at Mercy Home, like basketball and book club, which helped him feel more self- confident. And he did art projects to decorate his room, which helped him feel less anxious.

But the thing that made the biggest difference for Eric was building relationships with our coworkers. He grew close to his advocate and our youth care workers. He would go on walks with them and talk about what he had been through and about his goals.

Eric could trust them because he knew that even if he was struggling, they would always support him.

Today, thanks to the care and encouragement you make possible, Eric has made big strides academically. He has worked hard and been accepted into a special honors program at his school. Though he still faces obstacles, he now has the support and the skills to persevere through them.

Our coworkers also meet with Eric’s family in family therapy. His parents and grandparents have all worked together on communicating and on working as a team. They have been so grateful to have our support and guidance, and they are invested in Eric and his progress here at Mercy Home.

Thank you for giving our children—kids like Eric—a safe, stable, and loving home. Here, they grow and heal. They know that they are cared for. And they learn that they can achieve anything they set their minds to.

Please note: Because we care deeply about protecting our children’s privacy, the names and certain identifying details in this story have been changed.