2025 marks Mercy Care’s 40th year of providing compassionate care to those in our community who need it most. Throughout the years, we remained steadfast to the Sisters of Mercy mode of care, which is to go where healthcare is most needed. We continue to step into the need of our community, which during the last four decades resulted in mobile medical coaches, clinic expansions, new clinic locations and the addition of services allowing us to offer whole person healthcare.
It’s not just our clinicians and case managers who administer “compassionate care” to our clients. Every person at Mercy Care—from our administrators, board members and community partners to our volunteers, donors and investors—plays a role in that care, as evidenced by the feedback we receive through client surveys and “angel cards”—internal notes of thanks between colleagues.
In the following pages, you will see evidence of that compassionate care. To us, it is proof beyond the numbers that our organization is carrying on the mission the Sisters of Mercy began so many years ago: to serve those in our community who are most vulnerable.
Milestones mark a time for celebration and reflection. It’s a time to look back and marvel at all we have accomplished across 40 years—to acknowledge that the inroads we are currently making to improve the lives of our fellow Atlantans are only possible because of the vision, tenacity and compassion of those who came before us. So we must honor and celebrate them and carry on their mission by making ambitious plans for the future of Mercy Care.
In whatever capacity you have aligned with Mercy Care, we thank you. Thank you for your faith in us and your commitment to helping us continue making Mercy Care a beacon of hope in healing to all Atlantans.
OUR ORGANIZATION IS CARRYING ON THE MISSION THE SISTERS OF MERCY BEGAN SO MANY YEARS AGO: TO SERVE THOSE IN OUR COMMUNITY WHO ARE MOST VULNERABLE.
We Continue to Trend Upwards
As in 2023, Mercy Care staff again exceeded the number of patients served in 2024. We served 19,029 unique patients, which is an eight percent increase from 2023! In addition, six out of seven service lines increased patient visits compared to 2023.
19,029 77,704
UNIQUE PATIENT VISITS
TOTAL ENCOUNTERS
6,475
AVERAGE VISITS PER MONTH
Compassionate Care Is Health Education: Meet Miguel
81.6%
About the Patients 57.7% of
Compassionate Care is Preventive Care and Disease Management
Mercy Care’s continued focus on screenings, preventive care and chronic disease management is making a measurable impact on community health, despite the realities of competing life priorities. 9,961 patients were screened in 2024 for Social Determinants of Health (SDH) needs, recognizing that many of our patients face economic, social and personal barriers to healthcare. By addressing these challenges alongside clinical care, we are working to improve health outcomes and ensure that every patient receives the support they need. In 2024, our healthcare initiatives have allowed for significant improvements across multiple quality measures compared to 2023. With programs like Project Launch in place, we screened almost three times as many pediatric patients in 2024 compared to the previous year. By increasing the number of clients who are engaged and knowledgeable
Miguel is a Spanishspeaking 50-year-old man. He was newly diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes and prescribed insulin. Our diabetes education team taught him how to administer his insulin and monitor his blood glucose. He successfully modified his lifestyle and has more energy to do his work, take care of himself and support his family. He and his wife even attended an Open Hand cooking class hosted at Mercy Care. Within a year, Miguel’s A1c dropped from 14% to 5.8%, and he was taken off insulin.
about their health, we are improving their quality of life, which in turn creates a healthier, more vibrant community for everyone.
Connecting More Clients Than Ever to Better Health*
40 Years of Compassionate Care
Compassionate Care is Whole Person Care:
Meet Mr. Heath
Mr. Heath, a 55-year-old man experiencing homelessness came into the Gateway clinic to meet with Dr. Reed Pitre, a Mercy Care psychiatrist. In examining his medical files from a different facility, Dr. Pitre discovered Mr. Heath had a positive HIV test. Dr. Pitre immediately connected him with internist Dr. David Holland, who helped Mr. Heath start HIV treatment to lower his viral load. Mr. Heath is now returning regularly to meet with Dr. Pitre for his behavioral health issues and with Dr. Holland’s team to maintain his HIV treatment. He has been connected with PATH (Projects for Assistance in Transition from Homelessness) who are working to find him housing. Our client came into the clinic to receive behavioral health services, and received the clinically excellent care he needed to dramatically improve his health and wellbeing. Mr. Heath is just one example of how Mercy Care offers “whole person healthcare” to its clients.
Moving Towards Whole Person Care
What 40 years of providing healthcare to Atlanta’s most vulnerable citizens has shown us is we must not limit our capability to change to meet our clients’ needs. Our care model may look different than traditional care, but vibrant organizations with radical missions like ours must think and act differently to drive lasting change. While we continue to challenge a system that leaves people out, we remain focused on accessibility to integrated care for the whole person. With four clinics and a Street Medicine team, we can foster relationships and build trust among our unhomed clients. By offering head-to-toe service in our clinics to everyone regardless of their ability to pay, we are improving the health of our whole community.
There is lots to be done and despite uncertainty for what the future holds, Mercy Care is preparing to serve an increasing number of clients. Looking ahead
• 40% of the city is currently experiencing or at risk of housing displacement.
• The city’s population is aging—by 2050, 30% of the population will be 56 or older.
• Atlanta is #3 in the nation for new HIV infections and Fulton and DeKalb had the first- and second-highest rates of new infections of any county in the nation
For me, compassionate care goes beyond just doing a job—it’s about making a meaningful impact and ensuring people feel seen, valued and supported. It’s about treating every individual with dignity, respect and empathy, regardless of their background or situation.“
Mikah Fuller, Mercy Care Community Health Worker at City of Refuge
Compassionate Care Is Serving the Whole Family
Mercy Care takes a team-based approach to pediatric services. We focus on the growth of the whole child, which means parents meet with multiple providers – pediatricians, psychiatrists, behavioral health specialists, parenting peer specialists and case managers – all of whom are experts in different parts of child development. We also provide support for the parents. This includes helping with school enrollment, accessing food resources, offering parenting classes and connecting clients with community resources.
Whole Family Care: Meet José
A mother brought her two sons, ages five and three, into Mercy Care’s Pediatric Clinic to get the vaccinations needed to enroll in school. The family had fled Guatemala and had been living with family in Georgia for six months. The pediatrician immediately noticed that the older boy could only stand for a short time before falling over. The mother told the pediatrician that he had a seizure disorder and his medication was no longer working to control them. The pediatrician explained that Mercy Care can care for the family’s general health, but the seizure disorder requires a higher level of care from a pediatric neurologist. They scheduled an appointment at the Children’s Hospital of Atlanta in the coming weeks. The pediatrician also discovered that the family did not have access to healthy food, so the Mercy Care team connected them with food resources and helped them enroll the boys in school.
Compassionate Care Includes Housing
Housing is Healthcare: Meet Gregory
Gregory is a 73-year-old who moved to Atlanta from Brooklyn for a fresh start. Soon after he arrived, his bag with everything he owned was stolen. With just $20 in his pocket, Gregory had to rely on his New York attitude and street smarts to figure out his next steps. He found his way to a shelter that would allow him to stay despite his lack of identification.
At the shelter, Gregory learned about Mercy Care’s services. The day he came to Mercy Care, he was connected with Case Manager Michelle Keith who thought that Gregory was an ideal candidate for the Rapid Rehousing program.
On November 15, 2024, Gregory moved into his new studio apartment. He said, “Before Mercy Care, I gave in to the lowness of what life was, and then the people at Mercy Care took my hand,” he said. “I got the right people with me now.”
McAuley Station Opening
Mercy Care with our project partners celebrated the grand opening of McAuley Station Phase I in October 2024, a 170-unit, mixed-income apartment complex adjacent to the Mercy Care Decatur Street Clinic. Ten of the units are designated as transitional housing for Mercy Care patients and 30 studios will serve as permanent supportive housing in partnership with Fulton County’s Behavioral Health Department and Partners for HOME.
40 Years of Compassionate Care
Thank You To Our Volunteers
Volunteers have always been a fundamental part of delivering care. In fact, it wasn’t until Mercy Care began receiving federal grants to care for the homeless that the organization began hiring staff. Before that time, the nurses and physicians who delivered care to the unhomed back in the mid-1980s were all volunteers. Now that is compassionate care! Our team has grown along with the demand for our services and our funding since that time, but volunteers— both laypersons and clinicians—remain an essential component of Mercy Care’s ability to continue seeing more clients every year.
570 Total Number of Volunteers
2,704
Total Volunteer Hours
$84,473 Total Value of Volunteer Time
30
Total Medical Provider Volunteers
$54,700
Total Value of Medical Provider Hours
Compassionate Care Is Outreach and Advocacy
Staff from the Chamblee clinic participate in the organization-wide “Spring into Step/ Walk into Wellness” initiative.
Bridge Project
educates the public about the importance of HIV screenings on HIV/ AIDS awareness day.
Atlanta has seen a 60% increase in its unsheltered population since the pandemic. Our Street Medicine team and case managers are planting the seeds of change in partnership with the City of Atlanta and Partners for HOME, through a recently completed Bridge Project/Rapid Rehousing Program. Our outreach teams established relationships with individuals who were living in bridge encampments to help transition them into housing. The yearlong project successfully re-homed 93 people. Our commitment to effecting change does not end with the Bridge Project: with the recent opening of McAuley Station, Mercy Care is poised to set a new standard for what it means to provide health equity in Atlanta.
Gifts of Warmth
The distribution of cold weather clothing and supplies to Atlanta’s unhomed residents has long been a task undertaken by Mercy Care. Several of our longterm support organizations host donation boxes for collections during the fall and winter months.
Members of our outreach staff went to the Capitol to acknowledge the importance of children’s mental health.
Linkage Navigator Terrica Walker
Compassionate Care Is Found in Our Enduring Traditions
Foot Washing on Maundy Thursday
On Holy Thursday of Easter week, a group of Mercy Care colleagues and volunteers wash the feet of our clients and provide podiatric care if needed. Foot washing is reenacted on Holy Thursday where the church remembers the Last Supper when Jesus gave to his followers his greatest commandment: love one another.
McAuley Award recognizes outstanding Mercy Care employees
Senior Behavioral Health Specialist Beverly KerrCaesar was named the 2024 recipient of the McAuley Award. She has worked as a mental health specialist/ PATH (Projects for Assistance in Transition from Homelessness) case manager at Mercy Care since 2006. Named for Catherine McAuley, the founder of the Sisters of Mercy, the McAuley Award was established in 2010 to highlight a Mercy Care employee who shows devotion to the mission of Mercy Care, especially in our care of the poor and vulnerable. There have been 14 Mercy Care employees who have previously received this prestigious award.
Robert L. Mason Jr. Candlelight Memorial
In November, we hosted our 23rd annual Robert L. Mason Jr. Candlelight Memorial where more than 100 attended a service honoring the 176 metro Atlantans who died in 2024 while experiencing homelessness—the most ever honored at this event. Held outside of Mercy Care’s clinic in the Sweet Auburn neighborhood, the assembled crowd lit a candle while each person’s name was read aloud. The event also included a performance by the Atlanta Homeward Choir.
Compassionate care to me means going outside of yourself to feel your brothers’ pain.”
Tracy Booker, 32-year Mercy Care employee in Breast and Cervical Cancer Prevention
FOR MORE INFORMATION: 678-843-8670 mercyatlanta.org
