Mercy
Center 2001-2002
“Friends for a reason, a season, or a lifetime…”
Friends for a reason assist us through a
difficulty, providing support and guidance, and then move on.
The
past year has been one of the most challenging in our twelve-year history.
It has also been one of the most rewarding, because our community has
never been broader or stronger.
More than ever before, the Mercy Center community relied on the power of
friendship.
When
the news of what had happened on September 11th spread throughout the
Mercy Center community, the need to gather and support one another was
overwhelming. Approximately 300
people joined us on September 14th for a community gathering—to pray
for healing, to receive counseling, and to embrace each other.
These “friends for a reason” both offered and received support and
guidance, and at the end of the gathering, we all left with a firmer commitment
to nonviolence.
Friends for a season help us share, grow, and learn, and then move on.
Many
others this year became “friends for a season.” A total of 625 persons joined us this year to participate in
our programs. 149 friends
participated in our parenting skills courses this year; 69 of them were moms and
dads under the age of 24.
Many expressed sentiments similar to those of Nobie: “I learned in
this class that you can learn different ways to teach your child without hurting
them. And I learned there are other
parents going through the same thing you are going through.”
125 friends participated
in our Employment-Yes! program, gaining business and computer skills, while
growing in something much more valuable—self-confidence and the belief that
goals are achievable. One graduate
stated, “I gained so much from my classmates and the Business Training Class.
I also learned I should never give up on my dreams and hopes; having confidence
in myself is the main
key to success in life.”
Mercy Center also launched a new program this year in response to a basic need
in the community: English as a Second Language.
Our 60 new friends, some of them recent immigrants, thrived under the tutelage
of their volunteer teacher, Sr. Catherine McMahon, RSCJ, who joined us this
year. Along with English speaking
skills, these students learned that the world is not beyond their reach.
Other friends came to us with a desire to reflect on their lives and on their
spirit. We were able to offer support groups for women, spirituality
groups for different communities, including the Hispanic and African-American
communities, day retreats, family activities, and family weekends. We also
welcomed individual expression through art workshops and salsa and merengue
dancing lessons. These life-giving activities nourished the spirit and
fostered a strong sense of community.
We had the privilege in January of making nine
new “friends for a season.” Nine
student volunteers from Canisius College in Buffalo, New York, joined Mercy
Center for a week to get to know the Mott Haven community, assist in a clean-up
project, and run a children’s after-school Winter Camp.
Rarely has the Mercy Center community witnessed such an extraordinarily
generous and hard-working group of people.
The 45 children who participated
in the camp learned from the stellar example set by the Canisius students, while
the Canisius students grew in awareness, compassion and love.
Friends for a lifetime teach us lifetime lessons and then stay involved.
In the midst of offering all of our programs
this year, we also had the tasks of overseeing the construction of our new
building and continuing to raise funds to meet our capital campaign goal of $2.1
million. By June 30, 2002, the
building was 60% complete, and the capital campaign had achieved 79% of its
target, with $1,665,347 received in donations and pledges.
This was only possible because of the many “friends for a lifetime” who
have devoted their time and prayers, as well as money, to Mercy Center.
These friends will be forever remembered in our Heart of Mercy, which
will be displayed in our new home.
Completing
our circle of lifetime friends are the active participants who form our everyday
community, and our devoted volunteers. So many who have received from Mercy Center in one way or
another find themselves called to be present and to give back to each other and
to the community. Our participants
share their lives in support groups and spirituality groups, or just over a cup
of coffee. They speak of their
experiences before legislators and potential funders.
They are always ready to say yes when asked for help. Our volunteers teach computer skills and E.S.L., lead
workshops and support groups, and tutor and mentor children. Mercy Center would be but a shadow of itself without the
generosity of our participants and volunteers.
Our work would not be possible without
financial support, and we are grateful for the generosity of hundreds of
individual donors as well as the following foundations and major donors:
Anonymous Foundation;
Rose M. Badgeley Residuary Charitable Trust; Catholic Charities Community Grant;
Citibank Employees Foundation; The Clare Rose Foundation; Frances L. & Edwin L.
Cummings Memorial Fund; The Daphne Foundation; Fleet Bank; Franciscan
Benevolence Trust Fund; The Heckscher Foundation for Children; Jadetree Two
Foundation; The J.P. Morgan Chase Foundation; Manning & Napier; Mercy Action,
Inc.; The New York Women’s Foundation; The Patrina Foundation; The Pinkerton
Foundation; Anne S. Richardson Fund; Helena Rubinstein Foundation; Ryall
Christian Brothers; The Sister Fund; Sisters of Mercy of New York; Sisters of
Mercy of North Carolina; St. James Episcopal Church; Laura B. Vogler Foundation;
Blanche M. Walsh Charity Trust; Allied Irish Bank; The Lily Auchincloss
Foundation; Barker Welfare Foundation; Booth Ferris Foundation; Con Edison;
DeLaCour Family Foundation; Robert Goelet Foundation; Hispanic Federation; Hyde
and Watson Foundation; George Link, Jr. Foundation; Pequot Capital Foundation;
Sarita Kenedy East Foundation; ViBern Foundation; and the Waldorf Family
Foundation.
We are equally grateful for all of our friends—for those who are with us for a
reason, for those who are with us for a season, and for those who are with us
for a lifetime. Mercy Center could
not survive, let alone thrive, without any one of our friends.
