Madison was too embarrassed to tell anyone what life was really like at home. And she was really, really good at pretending like everything was okay all the time.

But things were far from okay. Madison’s father had been laid off from his job months ago, and with his job went a lot of the family’s income. Her mother began working
two jobs to try and make ends meet, but there never seemed to be enough money for all the bills.

“Her friends’ lives seemed perfect compared to hers, and she was too ashamed to share with them what was actually going on.”

To make matters worse, Madison’s father, depressed and ashamed to be out of work, seemed to completely give up on trying to find a new job. He spent most of his time
on the couch, watching TV with a blank look on his face. He tried to hide it from Madison, but she knew that he drank a lot after he thought she was asleep.

Because money was so tight, Madison’s parents began to have to make decisions about what bills to pay. Sometimes there wasn’t enough money to pay for groceries
after paying the utility bills. Other times, the electricity or heat would be shut off. Her father always seemed to find money for alcohol, however.

Even though Madison was scared and stressed about everything going on, she tried to hide her worries from her mother, knowing that she, too, was stressed out. Her friends’ lives seemed perfect compared to hers, and she was too ashamed to share with them what was actually going on.

Madison was too young to get a job to help out her mother, so she decided to help out by taking care of as many household chores as she could—especially because her father was not helping out at all. She began neglecting her schoolwork and focused her attention on cooking, cleaning, doing laundry, and even paying bills.

Madison had always been a good student, so her teachers were concerned when they noticed her grades dropping. A few tried to talk to her and find out what was going on, but Madison brushed aside their concerns.

But fortunately, her math teacher continued to check in with her. She knew that Madison had big academic dreams and didn’t want her to fall too far behind.

Eventually, Madison couldn’t hide that something was going on at home. She was exhausted, her stomach hurt constantly from anxiety and stress, and her grades were
dropping quickly. So when her math teacher inquired, again, about her home life, Madison couldn’t help but let the whole story out.

Her teacher was understanding and offered Madison a possible solution. She had heard from her parish priest about a place called Mercy Home and explained that it
was a place where Madison would be safe, free from worries about money, and where she could focus on her schoolwork and future. She said she would help her connect with us if that was what Madison wanted to do.

“Used to keep everything inside, she was relieved to have a therapist to share her concerns with.”

Madison was nervous about leaving her home, but knew it was the only solution that would help her get her life back on track. She agreed to give our Home a try.

Things turned around quickly once Madison moved in. Used to keep everything inside, she was relieved to have a therapist to share her concerns with. She also enjoyed having other girls around who had gone through similar struggles and could empathize with her.

In addition to helping Madison, Mercy Home also provided her family with resources to help her parents get back on her feet. The whole family participated in therapy regularly together, which helped, too.

Today, Madison’s grades are back on track, and she is now looking toward her future with hope, not fear. Thank you for allowing us to change the lives of kids like Madison. It makes all the difference!

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A SPECIAL PARTNERSHIP FOR THE SAKE OF MERCY’S KIDS AND FOR OUR TELEVISED SUNDAY MASS

You can make a difference in the life of a troubled child. Fr. 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, please keep the young people of Mercy Home and all of our generous benefactors in your thoughts and prayers.