News

Mercy Center is a community center located in the poorest Congressional District in the US. It offers many programs and services to underprivileged families and help them to take charge of their future and pursue their goals for an improved quality of life. In 2017 Mercy Center served more than 2,500 participants learn English, attain high school equivalency diplomas, prepare for and find jobs, acquire parenting and anger management skills, achieve citizenship, and access benefits to manage their daily needs. Center also provided a range of academic and social supports for their children.

Center's Executive Director Stephen J. Stritch III shares his gratitude and some highlights of 2017: 

"We are very proud of how Mercy Center has grown organically, adding and shaping programs according to the expressed needs of our participants. It is very important to seek to include community members through avenues such as hiring staff, recruiting volunteers, and finding board members from within the community in order to maintain a strong connection with the needs of the people organization serves.

The support of the Kazickas Family Foundation has helped Mercy Center to keep our doors open and our programs operating free of charge for those residents of the Bronx who need our services the most. Your enthusiasm and commitment just as importantly provides us an encouragement to continue to help some of the most underserved families in New York City. We are very grateful for your partnership, and look forward to continuing to work together on behalf of the wonderful, hard working women, men, and children we serve.

- 992 students enrolled into 16 different English for speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) classes, more that double of 2015 enrollment.

- 141 students in high school equivalency (HSE) test preparation classes. 31 of then attained their high school equivalency diplomas, and an additional 37 passed at least one of the five test subjects.

- 67 participants received individual employment readiness coaching; 47 participants achieved new employment, and 29 improved their employment.

- Immigrant Services staff helped 218 participants complete and submit a citizenship application, and additionally helped 33 participants renew their green card and 35 participants complete and submit a Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) application (DACA program now suspended by the federal government).

- 102 participants completed a parenting course, of which 77% demonstrated improved attitudes and knowledge on the post-class survey.

- 47 completed an anger management class of whom 80% demonstrated improvement on the post-class survey.

- 23 participants enrolled in a nutrition class, and 17 participated in the 8 week financial literacy class.

- 100% of After School and Saturday Reading youth participants achieved promotion to the next academic grade at the end of the school year, 73% of those who had low math or reading scores in the first marking period improved their grades by the end of the academic year.

- 100% of Family Development participants surveyed stated that participation in the program helped them learn how to better resolve conflicts or problems within the family, 100% also reported improved relationships with their children.

- Social Services staff provided 193 individuals with a total of 335 case management and supportive counseling sessions. 162 (duplicate) participants attended at least one of 13 educational workshops.

- A total of 290 (duplicated) individuals attended a personal development class. 1879 (duplicated) individuals attended at least one of the 20 community building events offered.

The need for free programs and services that improve lives continuously rises."

Photos: Courtesy of Mercy Center