MercyFirst 2023 Winter Newsletter

CARING FOR KIDS AND FAMILIES SINCE 1894

WINTER 2023 NEWSLETTER- PRINT EDITION

A message of thanks from the CEO:

Greetings Friends,

We are pleased to bring you our annual “Thank You” winter newsletter following a busy season of giving. It is an opportunity to share our gratitude in writing with those who made donations of so many kinds over the holidays and beyond. It is because of your partnership and incredible generosity that our children, youth and families feel important, loved and celebrated each year.

In addition to thanking you for supporting the good work being done at MercyFirst, we are also delighted to share a cross section of news from the agency. The articles enclosed spotlight several of our seven program areas across our fifteen locations, as we remain committed to serving children and families in need throughout Brooklyn, Queens and Long Island.

I hope you enjoy the pictures and stories of success and hope, and for more MercyFirst news, make sure you are signed up for our digital newsletter (send an email to ksneden@mercyfirst.org) or follow us on social media.

Sincerely,

Renée Skolaski, President/CEO

SCHOOL MURAL CELEBRATES BLACK HISTORY MONTH

Youth and staff from our Art & Creative Therapies Program collaborated on creating a chalkboard mural in honor of Black History Month and in celebration of some of the great black leaders of our time. The mural includes Katherine Johnson, Shirley Chisholm, Martin Luther King Jr., Chadwick Boseman, Madam C.J. Walker, Barack Obama, Ruby Bridges and Serena Williams, each of whom had people who believed in them and encouraged them to believe in themselves and go one to do great things. At MercyFirst, we believe in our youth and encourage them each day to shine brighter than the sun!

CONEY ISLAND POLAR BEAR PLUNGE!

Thank you to MercyFirst Board Member, Scott Gildea , and his friend Steve Kuhl , for completing their annual Polar Bear Plunge for MercyFirst! This year marked the 10th Anniversary of the first plunge which, combined, has raised over $200,000! Funds raised from the Polar Bear Plunge support MercyFirst’s range of programs that serve children and families in need across Brooklyn, Queens and Long Island, and give them the tools and care for a brighter tomorrow.

Scott Gildea (left) and Steve Kuhl (right) at Coney Island.

@MercyFirst

HEARTS TO HOMES TRANSFORMS FIRST APARTMENT INTO A HOME

Sonia is an amazing young woman who went through a major life change when she aged out of foster care and moved into her own apartment. With the support of Hearts to Homes, who provided bedding, kitchenware and other home goods, she was able to turn her apartment from an empty space into her home. Sonia is currently evaluating her higher education goals while working at a Security company.

Throughout her own life changes, Sonia has remained involved with MercyFirst’s Bridges to the Future Life Skills Coaching Program, and is helping her siblings, who are still in foster care, begin their own independent life journeys. Sonia’s transition would have been made all the more difficult without the caring support of the Hearts to Homes team.

Since partnering with Hearts to Homes in 2019, nearly 20 MercyFirst youth aging out of foster care have been provided with assistance with furnishing their first apartments. For so many, this is a critical next step toward becoming independent!

MERCYFIRST WELCOMES OUR NEWEST THERAPY DOG

MercyFirst’s Project CARE (Canine Academy for Rehabilitation and Education) program recently welcomed Bundles, a stray from Tennessee, to the campus. Project CARE provides youth from our residential programs with animal-assisted therapy as complementary treatment offered by our Integrated Health Services team.

Dogs in the program are trained to work with youth experiencing despair, loneliness, depression, or anything beyond their ability to cope. And when the dogs aren’t busy providing comfort to our youth, they spend their evenings relaxing in staff member’s homes.

Welcome to the MercyFirst family Bundles!!!

HELPING ADOPTIVE FAMILIES THRIVE

In the first year of the Post-Permanency Support Program at MercyFirst, our Prevention team assisted 30 families across New York City with post-adoption/guardianship services such as counseling, support groups, community-based service referrals, advocacy services and emergency financial assistance.

We are proud to have successfully closed 13 cases by helping prevent adoption disruptions, and we are proud to have been selected by New Yorkers for Children and Spence-Chapin Services to Families and Children, in a competitive RFP process, to run this essential program.

INDIVIDUALS

Mr. & Mrs. James M. Abbott

Mr. & Mrs. Kenneth Abell

Anonymous

Anonymous

Mr. James Baldi

Ms. Jesstine Baskerville

Mr. George Beatty

Mrs. Mary Bello

Mr. Gerard Bisogno

Ms. Pauline Blake

Mr. Victor Bolanos

Mr. & Mrs. Frank Bono

Mr. & Mrs. Charles J. Brady

Ms. Elaine Braithwaite

Mrs. Mary V. Canty

Mr. Stephen A. Carlino

Ms. Tracy Cholakis

Ms. Janice M. Cillo

Mr. & Mrs. Anthony Cinelli

Mr. & Mrs. Michael A. Cipriano, Jr.

Ms. Gina Columbo

Ms. Barbara A. Conley

Mr. John R. Connors

Mrs. Barbara Conolly

Ms. Joanne Cordaro

SPECIAL THANKS TO OUR HOLIDAY DONORS...

Ms. Margaret Coyne

Ms. Meg Coyne

Mr. & Mrs. Rosario Crimando

Ms. SueAnn Damassia

Efrain De Leon

Mr. & Mrs. John DeMartino

Ms. Mary Jane Dessables

Mr. & Mrs. Ronald DiPietro

Mr. & Mrs. Barry M. Donohue

Mrs. Nancy E. Donohue

Mr. & Mrs. Robert J. Duncanson

Ms. Teresa Falce

Mr. Peter Falcone

Ms. Julia A. Ferraro

Mr. & Mrs. Joseph & Christine Fischer

Sister Joan Fry, RSM

Ms. Morvia Garrett

Anne & Scott Gildea

Ms. Elaine R. Goldman

Ms. Destiny Gonzalez

Mr. & Mrs. Michael R. Goonan

Mr. & Mrs. Vincent J. Griski

Mrs. Alice Hanley

Mr. & Mrs. Daniel T. Harning

Rev. Msgr. Robert M. Harris

Mrs. Bridget Hermann

Mr. & Mrs. Frederick T. Hoffmann

Mr. & Mrs. Joseph R. Ingenito

Ms. Michele A. Ingoglia

Mr. Gerard P. Kaessinger

Mr. Martin L. Keefe

Ms. Kathleen Keegan

Mr. & Mrs. John F. Krebs

Mr. & Mrs. Achim Kretschmer

Mrs. Catherine M. Kulesh

Mr. & Mrs. Angelo LaFauci

Mrs. Eleanor Laukaitis

Mr. & Mrs. Richard Maletta

Mr. Peter J. Marchitello

Ms. Jacqueline Martin

Ms. Madeline Martinez

Mrs. Ellen J. Masterson

Mr. Charles J. Mazer

Ms. Diane McEnaney

Ms. Kristen McKasty

Ms. Mary McNulty

Ms. Lorraine Meola

Ms. Barbara Montemarano

Mr. & Mrs. Edward Muratore

Mr. & Mrs. Gerald E. Murphy

Mr. & Mrs. Robert E. Nielsen

Ms. Cathy Nolan

Mrs. Toni Owens

Ms. Yolanda Pastore

Ryders Don’t Play and 14.5 Motorcycle Clubs

GEICO Staff Counsel

KIMCO

Cathy Nolan and Susan Verneer (pictured), Laser Me, Beta Sigma Phi and St. Ann’s Episcopal Church

Kings Chapel Church

Because of your generosity, we provided every child and teen at MercyFirst with amazing toys and gifts.

Ms. Barbara Paulinski

Ms. Karen Payne

Mr. & Mrs. Richard Pergolis

Mr. Donald Pfeifer

Mr. & Mrs. Frances Raia

Ms. Melissa Reiersen

Ms. Sylvia Rivera

Mr. & Mrs. Joseph J. Romano

Ms. Yaneli Rosario

Mr. & Mrs. Jess Rudolph

Mrs. Lila Russo

Mrs. Donald Samuelsen

Ms. Judith A. Sedore

Ms. Bronwen Sessa

Mr. Ronald Shapiro

Ms. Eileen J. Shaughnessy

Mr. & Mrs. John Sheehy

Mr. & Mrs. Angelo Silveri

Ms. Renée Skolaski

Mr. & Mrs. Bram Smith

Mr. & Mrs. Christopher Snow

Mr. & Mrs. Stephen & Mary Stafford

Mr. & Mrs. John E. Stone

Mr. Sean E. Stone

Mr. & Mrs. John Tedesco

Ms. Elizabeth Triscari

SPECIAL THANKS TO OUR HOLIDAY DONORS...

Mr. & Mrs. John L. Trovato

Mr. & Mrs. Robert Valentino

Ms. Susan Verneer

Mr. Jeffrey R. Visconti

Mrs. Elizabeth Vrondis

Mr. & Mrs. James C. Walker

Mr. & Mrs. Richard A. Wallner

Ms. Patricia M. Walsh

Mr. Donald Weimer

ORGANIZATIONS

14.5 Motorcycle Club

Beta Sigma Phi

BK Christmas Trees

Catholic Teachers Association of The Diocese of Brooklyn,Inc

DAL Electrical Corp.

Freedom Fellowship of Christ

Geico Staff Council

Indigo Murphys

Kimco Corporation

Kings Chapel Church

Laser Me

Long Island Whalers -LI Sports Hub

Marotta Dental

MGA Gymnastics

Navigator Risk Management LLC

Ryders Don’t Play Motorcycle Club

Shanti Bhavan, Inc.

Sisters of Mercy of the Americas, Inc.

SprayFoam Solutions, LLC

St. Ann’s Episcopal Church

St. Dominic High School Italian National Honor Society

St. Luke’s Roman Catholic Church

Step by Step Tutoring

Syosset Community Members

The Women’s Association Fifth Avenue Presbyterian Church

Troop 170

US Customs and Border Protection

Victoria Loconsolo Foundation Inc.

Voxx International

US Customs and Border Protection

LI Whalers

Sprayfoam Solutions, LLC

MGA Gymnastics

Sophia and her fellow Youth Group members

Because of your generosity, we provided every child and teen at MercyFirst with amazing toys and gifts.

HOLIDAY SUPPER WITH THE SISTERS

MercyFirst’s Executive Team hosted a group of Sisters of Mercy for a festive potluck supper celebrating the season of light, blessings and gratitude. It was a lovely opportunity to gather with Sisters who have past and present connections to MercyFirst! Founded in 1894 by the Sisters of Mercy, MercyFirst remains a ministry of the international community of Roman Catholic women and one of more than 160 service organizations around the world.

Front Row (L-R): Sister Sheila Tynan, Sister Julie Upton, Sister Margaret Dempsey, Sister Sean Foley, Sister Corita Reiss, Sister Theresa Kelly, Sister Seton Agovino

Middle Row (L-R): Achim Kretschmer, Sister Margaret Anne Hartigan, Joanne Cordaro, Sister Lee Guirreri, Sister Maureen King, Sister Regina Williams, Sister Eileen Trainor, Sister Marianne Noonan, Sister Sheila Browne, Sister Maureen Jessnik, Sister Alicia Zapata

Back Row (L-R): Art Bulacan, Kerri Sneden, Madeline Martinez, Katya Lanfant, Renee Skolaski, Seven Laracuente, Jackie McKelvey, Mary Jane Dessables

BAKE SALE FOR BOOKS

With the money raised at a bake sale for Step By Step Tutoring, local students Alyssa, Tiffany and Caitlin purchased more than 100 new books for MercyFirst residential foster care youth. Step By Step is a student-run, education-focused nonprofit on Long Island that offers free tutoring to low-income families grades K-7.

IN LOVING MEMORY OF SHEILA PELAN

Sheila Pelan was the former Executive Director at Angel Guardian Children & Family Services, in Brooklyn, NY a role she held for 18 years. (Angel Guardian merged with St. Mary’s Children & Family Services (Syosset, NY) in 2003 to form MercyFirst). Sheila’s remarkable 49-year career with The Angel Guardian Home started in 1953, where she started as a Caseworker in the Foster Care Program, selflessly serving children and families in New York City. In addition to her leadership role at Angel Guardian, Sheila also served on the Board of Directors for St. Mary’s Children & Family Services from 1984 until 2014.

Sheila was a true blessing and touched many with her goodness and acceptance of others, and strong desire to help those in need.

MercyFirst student selecting a new book to read!

Kerri Sneden, MercyFirst VP of Development (second from left), received the book donation from Alyssa, Tiffany and Caitlin.

Photo: Sheila Pelan at Angel Guardian, 2016.

IN 2022, OUR 432 MISSION-DRIVEN STAFF ACROSS 7 PROGRAM AREAS...

• Provided loving foster homes and family reunification services to 346 children.

• He lped 183 children and teens with treatment in our residential programs.

• Kept 387 at-risk children out of foster care and at home safe with their families.

• Provided 270 unaccompanied migrant children with safe shelter.

• Cele brated the adoption of 6 foster youth into forever homes.

• Kept 233 children with serious medical and mental health needs healthy and safe.

• Taught 21 teen moms the skills needed to enhance their parenting skills and increase self-reliance.

SHIRT WITH A MESSAGE

A recent art therapy session led one of our START with Hope youth (our program for unaccompanied migrant children) from Afghanistan to design a

t-shirt to express his belief that Afghan women need education and the same rights as Afghan men, which is not the case in his country of origin.

During the shirt-making process, the youth, his translator and his art therapist discussed the changes since the Taliban took over, including women losing the right to go to school and work, and the feelings of sadness and despair around

loss

will help raise much-needed awareness for women in Afghanistan.

that part of the world. The youth is hopeful that his “t-shirt