Molly tried the door. It was locked.

She was in her bedroom. Molly’s mother would lock her there when she didn’t want to deal with her. At first, Molly would try to jimmy open the door. She’d try again when she got hungry. Eventually, it had happened so many times that she stopped trying altogether.

Molly could barely concentrate at school. When she didn’t get anything to eat at home, she was too hungry to hear the teacher.

Sometimes she put effort into her studies, and sometimes she didn’t. Life was so bleak, it was hard to see the point. And no one was really paying attention to her report cards. She would get a B on one assignment and an F on the next. On tests, she could answer some questions perfectly, and others she just left blank.

Her teachers couldn’t understand. Why did Molly show such promise, but keep falling further and further behind?

The other students couldn’t understand her either. They would tease her between classes, asking what was wrong with her.

Molly’s guidance counselor sat her down to find out what was going on. Molly explained to her what was happening at home. Her environment was not safe or supportive for a growing child, so Molly was taken out of her mother’s care.

For a while, she was placed with an older cousin. Things were better, but her cousin had her own children to look after. Molly was sent to live with her grandmother, who was very loving but suffered from health issues that kept her from being able to give Molly the care she needed.

It was difficult for Molly to move around. She missed her mother, and never knew how long it would be before she would have to move again. She needed a place that felt like home.

A True Home

Molly’s grandmother went to her pastor for help. Her pastor recommended a place where Molly would be safe and fed, and where she would have all the support she needed. It was called Mercy Home for Boys & Girls.

Molly came to visit and moved in as soon as a space opened up. She was worried about how she would get along with our other girls, but they understood her immediately. Many had also moved from home to home, and they could relate to everything she had been through.

Working with our education team, Molly started getting excited about college and internships. Thinking about her future helped her get motivated about her schoolwork. She started doing her best on every assignment, and her grades improved dramatically.

Most importantly, she knew that—thanks to steadfast friends like you—she would always be loved and cared for here at Mercy Home. Our campus started to feel like her true home.

Thank you for giving a home to young men and women who have nowhere else to turn. The impact you have on their lives—today, tomorrow, and forever— can never be measured.

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