June 18, 2024

Graduates Share Stories of Success and Resilience at Annual Grads Luncheon

“Graduates: you are now in a moment of real joy yourselves. You are here, with all the odds against you. You broke the cycle to launch a great future. Be resilient. Keep taking those next steps forward—do not get stuck. And remember that as long as you are part of a community—especially the Mercy Home community—you are never alone.”
—Natasha Perssico Escobedo, Mercy Home alumnus and keynote speaker

The 22nd annual Graduates’ Luncheon, hosted by our Leader Council, returned to the Chicago Hilton this June for an afternoon of hope and inspiration. As always, this special Mercy Home event featured stories of success from our graduates, raised support for our kids’ education, and demonstrated the ways our generous friends make a difference in the lives of our young people.

The luncheon is the perfect opportunity to celebrate the many accomplishments of our graduates with the Mercy Home family. Following an introduction from eighth-grade graduate Na’Laih, our graduates processed through the ballroom and took to the stage to a standing ovation of nearly 700 guests and coworkers. Our guests were then welcomed by emcee and WGN-TV 9 anchor Micah Materre, who then introduced Fr. Scott to the stage.

In his remarks, Fr. Scott reflected on the symbolism of the redwood tree and how they relate to the work happening at Mercy Home.

“Redwood trees symbolize beauty, power, strength, and energy,” he said.

He explained that redwoods can live for over a thousand years and grow nearly 300 feet tall—and this is accomplished because they grow together in groves with extensive root systems for support.

“What keeps a redwood tree standing is the way in which the roots connect with one another,” he said. “They hold each other up and they support each other.”

This, he said drawing a parallel, is much like the work we do at Mercy Home—we provide support for each other.

Fr. Scott also memorialized two dearly departed members of our Mercy Home community—Board of Regents member Jim Corrigan and long-time resident and coworker John DePalma.

Following Fr. Scott’s remarks, our guests enjoyed lunch before Materre returned to thank the companies who supported the event, including presenting supporter AT&T, match sponsor Robert R. McCormick Foundation, premier supporters Exelon and Michael J. Leon, and media supporters WBBM Newsradio 105.9FM and WGN-TV 9, along with other companies who generously support our children’s education.

Eileen Mitchell, Board of Regents member, former chair of the Leader Council, and the President of AT&T Illinois and Midwest States, addressed our guests on behalf of AT&T.
“The spirit of this event speaks to the best of our world: connection and community; people and possibility,” she said. “We feel privileged to play a small role here in supporting the amazing work of Mercy Home, and we are honored to join with each of you in lifting up the inspiring achievement of today’s graduates.”

Mitchell congratulated all of our graduates before announcing the recipient of the Bill Gainer Spirit of Service Award winner. This award is named in memory of a Board of Regents member, Bill Gainer, and recognizes a graduate who represents hard work and commitment to enhancing the community. This year’s recipient is Tyler, who graduated from Uplift Community High School and was also one of our graduate speakers.

Tyler shared that before coming to Mercy Home, his time was spent on only one thing: video games. But as his obsession had a greater and greater effect on his life and grades, his mother thought Tyler needed a better education and a place where he could learn new skills. That place was Mercy Home.

At Mercy Home, Tyler gained confidence in himself and saw his socials skills and grades improve.

“Mercy Home taught me new things I didn’t know I was capable of,”  he said.

Tyler eventually earned straight As and was recognized at school for his good grades and hard work. He will begin college at Malcolm X this fall and hopes to transfer to Columbia College to earn a degree in animation.

“I have so many opportunities at Mercy Home because they encourage me to pursue my goals and follow my dreams,” he said. “I know Mercy Home will be there every step of the way.”

Another graduate, Lali, then took to the stage to share the ways Mercy Home supported her in reaching her goals. She recently earned her associate’s degree from Harold Washington College.

Lali explained that her family moved around a lot as she grew up, and her mother’s struggles with mental health made it difficult for her to care for her and her brother. Eventually, Lali found Mercy Home.

“Mercy Home provided the safety and encouragement I needed most,” she said. “My time at Mercy Home helped mold my identity, my values, my education, and my career expectations. There were people to talk to and to steer me in the right direction.”

Lali found her safe space at the Walsh Campus Craft Cottage. Passionate about art since her childhood, she connected with the Craft Cottage Senior Coordinator, Becca Bowlin, who became a role model.

“She encouraged me and made me feel like my dreams were achievable,” Lali said. “Mercy Home not only supported me in pursuing my passion for art; they opened doors by paying for classes at the Art Institute.”

Lali shared that this fall, she will attend Columbia College of Chicago to pursue a degree in illustration and graphic design.

“Mercy Home allowed me to realize that success is about having a purpose in life, feeling fulfilled, and giving back,” she said.

Mattere returned to the stage to announce the winner of the Mary Dempsey Scholarship. Named for the founder of our Leader Council, this award has been given to a Mercy Home youth who exhibits leadership, academic achievement, and perseverance. This year’s winner was Kayla, who recently graduated high school and hopes to become a therapist. Kayla will attend the University of Wisconsin in Madison starting this fall.

Community Care member and graduate Carlos was next to the stage to share a bit about himself before introducing our keynote speaker. Carlos recently graduated from University of Southern California with a degree in computer science.

Carlos came to Mercy Home when he was in high school. The therapeutic support he received at Mercy Home helped him process the difficulties he’d experienced throughout his childhood. He also made friends and got involved in the activities offered at the Home, which he said really helped. His whole family also participated in family therapy, which helped heal their relationship.

Mercy Home board members and friends connected Carlos to internships.  Rich Daniels and Dean Rolando helped him in an internship at the Chicago Federation of Musicians. And John Sheehy connected him with an internship at Epsilon doing web development. That experience led to two more internships with Microsoft. As a result, Carlos will begin a full-time role with Microsoft as a software security engineer this summer.

“Helping me remain connected to my Mercy Home support system was the Community Care program,” Carlos said. “My care manager Janet [Meredith] has been fantastic. I’m so grateful to her. It’s been people like Janet, all my program staff, and all of you who made it possible for me to take these next steps toward a future I never thought possible. Now I’m confident for what’s to come.”

Carlos then welcomed Natasha Perssico Escobedo, a Mercy Home alum and this year’s keynote speaker to the stage.

Escobedo is a partner in the business valuation and forensic accounting practice at Epstein Nach Escobedo. She has expertise in the areas of accounting, financial reporting, business valuation, litigation support, financial analysis, and forensic accounting.

Escobedo had a difficult childhood growing up in the Humboldt Park neighborhood of Chicago. Her mother struggled with both physical and mental health challenges that limited her ability to care for her. Natasha often missed school and was sick due to lack of proper nutrition. Her mother’s illness caused her constant anxiety.

But things changed for the better when Escobedo was referred to Mercy Home’s Friends First mentoring program. Her mentor gave her a reprieve from the stress and anxiety of being at home. They also offered family therapy, which is when Escobedo learned of her mother’s own childhood trauma that caused many of her current struggles. As her mother’s health continued to decline, Escobedo began to lose focus at school, skipping class and earning poor grades. Her mentor encouraged her to move into Mercy Home as a resident.

“Back then, I didn’t want to be seen as broken, so I didn’t talk about my anxiety,” she said. “I pretended to be okay. But being away from my mom made my anxiety about her health even worse. I had chronic insomnia and panic attacks, though I didn’t really talk about it with the staff. But no matter what roadblocks I may have put up, I was met with a lot of care and empathy. The Mercy Home staff was persistent, steady, and present.”

Escobedo eventually learned the meaning of the word “resilient.” It resonated with her, and things began to improve. She began attending a high school she loved. Her worst fears were realized, however, when her mother passed away the night before Escobedo’s high school graduation. But thankfully, she was also met with support from coworkers and fellow youth.

“My best friend, Takara, dragged her mattress into my room and stayed with me all night so I wouldn’t be alone,” she said. “All the staff on duty stayed up with me and comforted me that night. They were all there for me, my community.”

Even in her grief, Mercy Home helped Escobedo keep moving forward. She completed a summer internship and then was off to college at the University of Tampa. After college, she built a successful career in Chicago and became a partner at her accounting firm.

“I am here today because the Mercy Home community was there to support me, my growth, my well-being, and my healing,” she said.

“There were so many times when I was blinded by intense sadness and anxiety. But Mercy Home showed me that goodness and joy are possible. My Mercy Home community gave me hope for a happier future and encouraged me to take the next step. That, in a word, is resilience.”

Following Escobedo’s speech, Materre returned to the stage for a final time to conduct a paddle raise to support the education of our young people. Gifts were matched by the Robert R. McCormick Foundation up to $50,000—a goal that our pledge exceeded.

We are incredibly grateful to our keynote speaker Natasha Perssico Escobedo, our sponsors, graduate speakers, board members, coworkers, and all our guests who made this event one to remember.

We especially want to thank the Leader Council for once again hosting the Graduates’ Luncheon. We are so grateful to Mary Lee Schneider and Bridget Gibbons for their leadership and to the Council members for their investment in our young people’s success.

Founded in 2002 by then Chicago Public Library Commissioner and now Mercy Home Board of Regents member Mary Dempsey, The Leader Council is a volunteer organization of prominent professional women in greater Chicago that supports education young people at Mercy Home for Boys & Girls. 

The group draws members from among the top levels of Chicago’s business and civic institutions. Members donate their time, talent, financial support, and professional resources to open doors to academic and vocational opportunities for Mercy Home’s children. 

Thanks to their efforts, Mercy Home’s young people go on to succeed in school, in higher education and in their careers. The Graduates’ Luncheon is the Leader Council’s signature annual fundraising event.