Zandra Haywood, Esq.

Director for Agency Relations

"Service comes in many different forms with many

different paths to take." - Zandra Haywood

Meet Zandra Haywood, Esq., the Director for Agency Relations for Catholic Charities. Zandra is a strong community and social services professional who holds both a J.D. and MSW. As a Social Worker and Attorney, Zandra has a unique insight into advocating for the needs of the underserved with great compassion and respect. In her role as the Director for Agency Relations, Zandra works with a network of Catholic Charities sponsored agencies and affiliates to advocate for the underserved. Through this network, Zandra and her Agency Relations colleagues help to connect Mercy Center to Catholic Charities "corporate partners". Recently, Deloitte, one of those corporate partners, volunteered to "create a beautiful oasis" in our outdoor space for our participants and staff. With compassion and respect, Zandra gives a “voice” to the underserved while making the necessary connections to offer our participants opportunities for a better life.

Zandra coordinates more than 60+ human service agency partners within the Catholic Charities network to collaborate and share resources. Through this collaboration, Zandra helps to increase the capacity of individual agencies in need of this support, thereby increasing its impact. It is through this network of agency affiliates that Catholic Charities has continued to support Mercy Center through agency program collaborations, in-kind donations, volunteer services, government relations support and grant opportunities. In addition, Catholic Charities partnered with Mercy Center to assist and coordinate services for recent arrivals to New York City. With enthusiasm and compassion, Zandra continues to make these connections so that we are able to offer our families the support and services they need.

Through the partnership between Catholic Charities and Mercy Center, our programs continue to grow. As Zandra noted, “our agencies support one another to better meet the needs of Mercy Center’s families.” This collaboration enables us to offer assistance and services to our families and participants wherever the need arises. Catholic Charities continues to offer support to our Asylum Seeker Program, St. Nicholas “Adopt a Family” Program, The Cardinal Fund for Families and the Alfred E. Smith Memorial Foundation, which supports our youth programs. Through their support, Catholic Charities offers our families hope.



"We need to advocate for change and stay vocal to keep the issues of the underserved at the forefront of all that we say and do to offer equity and services to every community." - Zandra Haywood

"The advocacy, financial, and community-building support that Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of NY offers to Mercy Center as an affiliate agency has enhanced both our programming and our staff development. From the St. Nicholas Project each year at Christmas, volunteers they connect with us to brighten our space and tutor our children, to funding connections, Catholic Charities is an unwavering partner in the work of strengthening our families, enriching our youth, and providing hospitality and welcome to immigrants." - Debbie Panek, LMSW, MPH, Senior Director of Social Services, Family & Youth Programs

We are grateful to Catholic Charities for their continued partnership and commitment to our programs and families.