The Mercy Home family continues to come together in prayer, action, and concern for those affected by the crisis surrounding Hurricanes Harvey and Irma. As we have done in response to so many disasters over the years, we will focus on prayer, education, and service.
A group of our young women took their own initiative in lending a hand to those in need by dropping off cases of bottled water at the Chicago Police Department’s 22nd district station in Beverly/Morgan Park to be delivered to Houston. According to Mercy Home co-worker, Elacsha Madison, who works with our young women, the girls were discussing a CPD flyer requesting donations from the community in support of the crisis in Houston. The young women volunteered to donate their own allowances to purchase cases of drinking water for those in the Houston area who are still without it.
“They wanted to challenge the other homes to match them,” Madison said. She added that during their meeting, one of the girls made the connection that donations from others make it possible for them to live at Mercy Home, and that they should pay it forward to help the victims of both hurricanes.
“They felt it was the least they could do,” Madison said, adding how excited they have been to help.
That the disaster was on their minds owed in part to discussions about the hurricanes at their schools. In a similar way, we will develop a number of educational activities around the topics related to both Harvey and Irma. In the past, for example, our youth made educational projects to learn more about the people and cultures of Japan following the 2011 tsunami and Haiti following the 2010 earthquake.
We have also encouraged youth and coworkers in the past to support organizations on the ground in disaster zones, and we will develop similar efforts through Catholic Charities USA and Catholic Relief Services.
We’re grateful that our young women are leading the way and demonstrating the generosity of spirit that fuels our mission!
The Mercy Home family continues to come together in prayer, action, and concern for those affected by the crisis surrounding Hurricanes Harvey and Irma. As we have done in response to so many disasters over the years, we will focus on prayer, education, and service.
A group of our young women took their own initiative in lending a hand to those in need by dropping off cases of bottled water at the Chicago Police Department’s 22nd district station in Beverly/Morgan Park to be delivered to Houston. According to Mercy Home co-worker, Elacsha Madison, who works with our young women, the girls were discussing a CPD flyer requesting donations from the community in support of the crisis in Houston. The young women volunteered to donate their own allowances to purchase cases of drinking water for those in the Houston area who are still without it.
“They wanted to challenge the other homes to match them,” Madison said. She added that during their meeting, one of the girls made the connection that donations from others make it possible for them to live at Mercy Home, and that they should pay it forward to help the victims of both hurricanes.
“They felt it was the least they could do,” Madison said, adding how excited they have been to help.
That the disaster was on their minds owed in part to discussions about the hurricanes at their schools. In a similar way, we will develop a number of educational activities around the topics related to both Harvey and Irma. In the past, for example, our youth made educational projects to learn more about the people and cultures of Japan following the 2011 tsunami and Haiti following the 2010 earthquake.
We have also encouraged youth and coworkers in the past to support organizations on the ground in disaster zones, and we will develop similar efforts through Catholic Charities USA and Catholic Relief Services.
We’re grateful that our young women are leading the way and demonstrating the generosity of spirit that fuels our mission!