With another cold Chicago winter just around the corner, it’s important that Mercy Home’s Community Care families and our young people have the right gear to stay warm. That’s why we are so grateful to our partners at CC’s Wish List of the Lavin Family Foundation, who generously gifted our Community Care members and Mercy Home youth with winter weather clothes and boots.
Every year, the Lavin Foundation donates apparel, boots, gloves, scarves, hats, and more to Mercy Home.
Carol Lavin Bernick is the Founder of CC’s Wish List of the Lavin Family Foundation and she explained what drives her to support Mercy Home and other organizations.
“My mom always had a special place in her heart for Chicago’s vulnerable youth and she handed that down to me and my children,” Bernick said.
“I formed CC’s Wish List with the intent to utilize my corporate buying experience for the benefit of purchasing brand new clothing, underwear, winter wear, footwear, bedding and more at incredibly low costs and distributing it with high efficiency to our vetted nonprofits such as Mercy Home.”
Mercy Home’s Director of Corporate & Foundation Relations Elizabeth Norden praised the family for their faithful support and generosity.
“Carol Lavin Bernick and her family have generously supported Mercy Home’s youth and families for more than 25 years,” Norden said. “They lead with a kind heart, whether through helping put food on the table or giving beautiful new clothing through CC’s Wish List. They always extend their hand in friendship, and we’re all deeply grateful for their partnership.”
This is a feeling shared by Lavin Bernick.
“Your caring case managers, residence staff, and Community Care team know exactly what your youth and families need and help get the goods we can provide to you into their hands,” Bernick said. “We love that! And we love providing YOU with what you need to be successful in helping today’s youth thrive tomorrow.”
About 125 people, including children and families, lined up on Monday at our West Loop Campus to choose from an array of options of thick winter coats, boots, and other winter apparel. Some of them have challenges with paying rent or buying necessities for them to survive.
“For us to be in a position to provide those type of items to our families is an essential need for them to be comfortable,” said Vice President of Community Care Daniel Nelson. “They’re going to be warm this winter. It’s important for us to do that.”
Community Care Member Mika was in dire need of winter clothes and came to the perfect place to get the essentials.
“I’ve actually been needing winter clothes, and it’s very hard to find them in stores for my budget, and my size,” Mika said. “It means that this is actually one winter where I can be in clothing that I feel comfortable in and be warm. I’m very happy with everything I got.”
By offering this service to our Community Care families, Mercy Home hopes to alleviate some of the burdens associated with buying winter wear for growing children.
“You had kids without a worry for that moment, while they were here,” Nelson said. “You had families with a little bit of anxiety relieved off their shoulders. People walked up the stairs with blank faces and came down with huge smiles.”
And it’s more than just handing out clothes to our Mercy Home young people, it’s about making them feel at home and respected as individuals.
“It’s all about making sure that we are creating an environment where we can bring meaning to moments that we are in,” Nelson said. “And these are the things which our members, their kids, their families want to remember about Mercy Home. That I came to Mercy, and I got my needs met. I came to Mercy, and everybody genuinely saw me, cared about me, and listened to me. I came to Mercy, and I felt safe.”
Shena is another member who attended the giveaway event. She lived at Mercy Home many years ago from the ages of 15 to 19. Before coming to Mercy Home, she had a difficult childhood. But when she moved into our Home, she received abundant support and nurturing care to heal from her trauma. She stopped by the coat drive to say hello and get some winter weather gear for her family.
“[Mercy Home] gave me meaning to live,” Shena said. “I was in a coma before I came here, and they gave me the power to survive. They let me know that it’s okay to want to live. Thank you, CC’s Wish List, so much.”
Mercy Home is eternally grateful to our friends at CC’s Wish List of the Lavin Foundation for their unwavering support and kindness to our Home.
