At Mercy Home for Boys & Girls, we focus on our young people’s strengths so that they can use them to prosper in other areas of their lives. By helping them discover and develop their interests and talents, they begin to gain the confidence and dedication necessary for them to succeed. Terry is a perfect example. Once he found his talent and love for cooking, his grades made a dramatic turnaround.

When Terry came to Mercy Home, his schoolwork was suffering because of his undisciplined behavior. He acted out and got away with it. He also did not seem to care about his education. While most of our children advance a grade after living at Mercy Home for a year, some, like Terry, continue to struggle.

Mercy Home staff worked endlessly with Terry to find a solution, including helping him discover his passions so that they might help channel his energies constructively and improve focus. During weekly meetings with his advocate, Terry mentioned an interest in cooking, which was something he used to do with his family. Mercy Home sought out as many culinary opportunities for Terry as they could.

Before long, Terry began to gain more confidence and experience. Thanks to Mercy Home’s partnership with some restaurants in Chicago, Terry was able to work in kitchen’s shadowing the chef. His success in the kitchen gave Terry the confidence and boost he needed to focus on his education and go after his goals.

Mercy Home also sought a more appropriate school placement for Terry. After failing several classes, it was evident that a traditional high school setting might not the best fit. It is not uncommon for our youth to need a placement in a different type of educational setting than they might have known before coming to Mercy Home. Terry started off the school year at an alternative high school for students wishing to obtain their high school diplomas. Terry finished his first semester with all A’s and one B!

As Terry begins his second semester, he tackles the challenges of each day with as much zest and zeal as he did during the first. Terry is eager to graduate high school so he can continue his passion for cooking at a culinary arts college. Because of the persistence of Mercy Home staff, who did not give up on him, Terry finally found his niche. It was the right combination of ingredients that has led Terry to success and that will help propel him toward a promising future.

During this Easter season, when the flowers and trees are beginning to blossom and as the Resurrection of the Lord approaches, I ask that you keep Terry and all our young people in your thoughts and prayers, remembering that each of us, too, require the right ingredients in order to blossom and succeed, as well. And we too will keep you, our Partners in Prayer, in our prayers of gratitude, and I pray that you and your loved ones have a joyous Easter Season!

A special partnership for the sake of Mercy’s kids and for our Sunday TV Mass

You can make a difference in the life of a troubled child. Father Scott needs Partners to pray for our kids at Mercy Home–and also faithful Partners to help broadcast Sunday Mass at Mercy Home.

By pledging your support and your prayers, you’re offering a precious gift to Mercy’s kids–and helping our community of faith join together every week.

The boys and girls of Mercy Home are very proud of the difference they are able to make just by sharing their time and heart with others. None of this would be possible without our kind, faithful supporters, for not only sharing their friendship but for also setting an example of generosity and compassion for them to follow. During this month of January, please keep the young people of Mercy Home and all of our generous benefactors in your thoughts and prayers.