Angel of Hope Gala
MISSION HONOREE
SISTER SEAN FOLEY, RSM
CORPORATE HONOREE
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 2024 6:00 pm
RAINBOW ROO m
RO ckefelle R ce N te R
CONGRATULATIONS
2024 ANGEL OF HOPE HONOREES
FOR 130 YEARS, MercyFirst has been inspiring hope and promoting healing for children and families in need. Join us in recognition of this significant milestone as we celebrate our 2024 ANGEL OF HOPE HONOREES and renew our commitment to helping at-risk individuals overcome enormous obstacles and reimagine their futures!
MISSION HONOREE
SISTER SEAN FOLEY, a Sister of Mercy for 65 years, has dedicated her life to improving the lives of families and vulnerable children. As a former CEO of MercyFirst (then known as St. Mary's Children and Family Services), Sister Sean helped transform the landscape of a small orphanage into a multi-service human services agency that met the needs of young people in changing social environments. Her leadership led to the creation of innovative programs, increased funding, and the expansion of facilities. With her wealth of knowledge and experience, she has left an indelible mark on service delivery to at-risk youth in New York City and on Long island.
CORPORATE HONOREE
VANCORD is a New Englandbased Information Technology and Cyber Security company and valued partner to MercyFirst. Their ongoing generous financial support of the agency help funds our life-changing programs and services designed to help children, youth and families succeed and realize a brighter future. In addition to the firm’s vital donations to MercyFirst, Vancord collaborates with the agency to support its infrastructure and data security needs, ensuring security for optimal operations and our peace of mind. Learn more at www.vancord.com.
Dear Friends:
Welcome to MercyFirst’s 2024 Angel of Hope Gala, a celebration of 130 merciful years of inspiring hope and promoting healing for children and families in need. This year, MercyFirst’s signature fundraiser will recognize this historic milestone and celebrate the commitment and partnerships of our esteemed honorees, Sister Sean Foley, RSM, and Vancord
Sister Sean Foley, RSM, a passionate advocate for children and families in need, is this year’s 2024 Mission Honoree. Sr. Sean selflessly served MercyFirst, then known as St. Mary’s Children and Family Services, for 25 years in the capacities of child care worker, social worker and eventually rising to become its Executive Director, a position she held from 1978 until 1992. During her tenure at the agency’s helm, she partnered with the Sisters of Mercy and the Board to expand the agency into a holistic childrens’ center to better serve the evolving needs of children and their families in the New York metropolitan area. Tonight, we honor Sr. Sean for dedicating her life to improving the lives of society’s most vulnerable, and for helping make St. Mary’s a landmark facility in the field of child care.
Vancord, MercyFirst’s IT and cybersecurity service provider and a staunch supporter of our mission, is our 2024 Corporate Honoree. As a devoted ally of our life-affirming work, we selected Vancord as our Corporate Honoree this year because of their enduring commitment to the children and families in our care. Their corporate partnership and generous financial support enables MercyFirst to do what we do best –serve children and families facing enormous obstacles. We are forever grateful to the impact Vancord has had on our efforts to care for thousands of struggling individuals so that they can have a stronger foundation for a better tomorrow.
As always, tonight is also about honoring our dedicated MercyFirst Staff who carry out our mission each and every day. They are the reason our mission has lived on for 130 years. We are ever appreciative of and grateful for their immeasurable contributions to this agency and for helping those we serve reimagine their futures.
Finally, a special thanks to our many friends without whose support we would not be able to keep at-risk families together, and ensure children are safe and given a real chance to thrive in life. As a community, each year we provide over 3,000 children and families in New York City and across Long Island with safe opportunities for hope and healing.
Please enjoy your evening and thank you again for being here to celebrate our 130th Anniversary!
With appreciation and gratitude,
Renée & Paul
Renée Skolaski President & CEO
Paul Travers Chair, MercyFirst Fundraising Committee Board Chair Emeritus
MERCYFIRST’S community of care was founded by the Sisters of Mercy in 1894 on the St. Mary’s campus in Syosset, NY, and has been serving children and families across the New York metropolitan area for 130 years.
AFTER MERGING with Angel Guardian Home in 2004, the agency increased its range of programs and expanded its reach to individuals with unique and complex needs throughout New York City and across Long Island.
TODAY, MercyFirst is a leading social service organization, providing a range of trauma-informed, family-focused and evidence- and strengths-based interventions to help struggling children and families build a foundation for a better tomorrow. Each year, MercyFirst provides more than 3,000 individuals across the communities we serve with opportunities for hope and healing.
· 130TH ANNIVERSARY HONOREE ·
· 130TH ANNIVERSARY SPONSOR ·
WIth gReAt AdmIRAtION ANd
AppRecIAtION, We thANk
SISteR SeAN fOley ANd All the SISteRS
Of meRcy AlONg WIth the StAff Of meRcyfIRSt fOR theIR pASSIONAte
cOmmItmeNt tO cReAtINg A lIfe Of hOpe
fOR the mOSt vulNeRABle chIldReN
ANd fAmIlIeS ANd We thANk vANcORd
fOR theIR dedIcAted SuppORt Of the meRcyfIRSt mISSION.
phOteINe ANAgNOStOpOulOS ANd JIm StyNeS
· 130TH ANNIVERSARY SPONSOR ·
· ANGEL GUARDIANS OF HOPE ·
ANGEL OF
· AMBASSADORS OF HOPE ·
thANk yOu tO the StAff Of meRcyfIRSt
ON yOuR SteAdfASt cOmmItmeNt tO
SuppORtINg yOuth ANd fAmIlIeS IN cRISIS! yOuR dedIcAtION ANd SeRvIce
mAke A SIgNIfIcANt dIffeReNce! cONgRAtul AtIONS
SISteR SeAN fOley & vANcORd
fOR yOuR uNWAveRINg dedIcAtION
ANd SuppORt Of meRcyfIRSt!
mIke ANd lIz veNutI
· AMBASSADORS OF HOPE ·
Sisters of Mercy congratulates the 2024 Angel of Hope Honorees
SISteR SeAN fOley, RSm & vANcORd
· SISTERS OF MERCY SPONSORSHIP ·
cONgRAtul AtIONS ANd mANy thANkS
tO SR. SeAN fOley ANd vANcORd
fOR theIR uNWAveRINg AllIANce ANd
geNeROuS SuppORt tO meRcyfIRSt.
Compassion Excellence Hospitality Integrity Justice Respect
“We should be shining
lamps,
giving light to all around us.”
- Catherine McAuley
On the 130th year of merciful service to children, women and families, we honor and celebrate the Sisters of Mercy and their unfailing commitment to Compassion, Excellence, Hospitality, Integrity, Justice and Respect.
Renée Skolaski and the MercyFirst Staff
cONgRAtul AtIONS tO my deAR fRIeNd
SR. SeAN fOley fOR heR OutStANdINg
leAdeRShIp Of meRcyfIRSt duRINg heR
extRAORdINAR y teNuRe AS ceO
I AlSO celeBRAte the memOR y Of JAckIe mckelvey, chIef pROgRAm
OffIceR, WhO fOR OveR 40 yeARS
WORked tIReleSSly tO cARR y Out the mISSION Of meRcyfIRSt fOR OuR chIldReN ANd fAmIlIeS
thANk yOu tO the SISteRS Of meRcy
ANd the StAff Of meRcyfIRSt fOR yOuR
cONtINued cOmmItmeNt tO chIldReN
ANd fAmIlIeS IN Need.
ANgel Of hOpe mISSION hONORee
SR. SEAN FOLEY, RSM
BleSSINgS ANd cONgRAtul AtIONS, SR. SeAN, fOR yOuR gIftS Of lOve, meRcy, cOmpeteNce
ANd cOmpASSION ShOWeRed ON the meRcyfIRSt fAmIly fOR SO mANy yeARS!
We hAve All BeeN BleSSed By yOuR pReSeNce IN OuR lIveS….
WIth lOve, yOuR fRIeNdS ANd SISteRS IN meRcy: mARIette SchmIdt, Betty ScANlON, pAt hARtIgAN & mAR y mcgROR y
are you a young professional looking to gain experience and give back?
Introducing MercyFirst’s Young Professionals Board. Members of our “junior board” would have the opportunity to create, plan and participate in a variety of volunteer and awareness-raising activities, as well as plan and host fundraising events that support MercyFirst’s efforts to give struggling New Yorkers a chance at a brighter tomorrow.
Securing the next generation of volunteers is so very important and ensures that MercyFirst can continue to advance its mission for another 130 years (and beyond) and we hope you will consider joining us!
What is Planned Giving?
Creating your legacy through gift planning with MercyFirst will generate the financial resources necessary to support our agency as we address the emotional and physical needs of children and families in New York City (Brooklyn, Queens and Staten Island) and across Long Island through innovative treatments and life-changing interventions.
Gift Planning offers you the opportunity to use financial, estate, investment, and philanthropic options to help meet your current philanthropic goals and extend your generosity well into the future.
Join the ranks of MercyFirst supporters who have committed to ensuring the long-term sustainability of our mission.
Ways to Make a Planned Gift
GIFTS THROUGH YOUR ESTATE
The most practical way to make significant gifts may be through your estate plan, by means of a will, living trust or a beneficiary designation on a life insurance policy or retirement account. Such gifts are wholly revocable while you are alive and may save significant taxes for your estate.
FUNDRAISING COMMITTEE
Paul Travers, Chair
Darcy Belyea
Sr. Margaret Dempsey, RSM
Keith Little
Ken Male
Kevin Shine
ABOUT MERCYFIRST: Rooted in a legacy of mercy spanning more than a century, MercyFirst inspires hope and promotes healing for the most vulnerable children and families in New York City and across Long Island. Founded by the Sisters of Mercy in 1894, today MercyFirst offers a range of innovative programs and service that provide stability and support and help individuals and communities thrive.
TO LEARN MORE , visit us at www.mercyfirst.org