Mercy Center focuses on Community
As many of us this week are celebrating the holy days of Passover or Easter, I wish you good health, happiness, and peace for you, your family and friends. Clearly at this time we are being tested as a community but we will get through it.

We made the decision to suspend onsite programs as of March 17th with plans to continue working remotely and to continue serving the South Bronx community. Sometimes we only realize what we're capable of when we're tested. While no one would wish this test on anyone, it has proved the mettle of our participants, our staff, and our supporters.
 
Along with the program services Mercy Center continues to provide remotely, we have found that it's just as important to sustain our community. Contact by phone, video, email, and text provides critical support and assures our participants that they are not alone.
Our program staff are doing a great job of continuing to operate our programs and services online and via telephone.
Social Services & Community Education
  • Our Director of Social Services is reviewing and summarizing the ever-changing COVID-19 policies, services and resources available for our participants so that our staff have the most up to date information.
  • Tacombi Community Kitchen is supporting Mercy Center participants and other neighborhood organizations by providing 200 meals 2 to 3 times a week.

Adult Education & Workforce Development
  • Our Adult Education staff and instructors are providing all classes online, primarily through Google Classroom, and exams have been prepared through Google Forms.
  • Staff makes calls every day to support students.

Immigrant Services
  • The Director of Immigrant Services continues to process applications and to screen callers with immigration matters.
  • The New York Historical Society normally teaches Mercy Center's citizenship classes. They are now offering online classes.
Youth Programs
  • Our After School staff are providing online activities including homework help, robotics sessions, and small group “play dates”.

Familia Adelante/Family Forward
  • The Familia Adelante team is maintaining contact with our families by phone and proving support and access to needed resources. This is especially vital when a family member has contracted COVID-19.
  • Qualitas, one of our collaboration partners, will complete remotely a financial education course interrupted by the pandemic; two sessions remain.

Personal Development
Community and Transformation is who we are, who we have always been, and who we continue to be, virus or no virus. We marvel at the adaptability we live every day and see all around us. We will get through this together.

Sincerely,
Stephen J. Stritch III
Executive Director
Mercy Center | www.mercycenterbronx.org