Mary's Mercy Center Overview

MARY’S MERCY CENTER ANSWERS THE CHALLENGES OF THE POOR AND THE HOMELESS

Mary’s Table is open six days a week and serves approximately 7,000 meals each month. Each meal is balanced with meat, vegetables and carbohydrates. After our guests are seated, volunteers serve them their coffee, ice tea, and/or milk. Our food comes to us from many different sources; almost all of our meat is donated, as is our fresh milk. Some food and all staples are purchased from food banks, stores and large corporations. We also share food among our fellow non-profits when there is an over abundance. Mary’s Table is open all holidays and requires no I.D.

St. Martin de Porres Emergency Food Bag Program distributes food bags every Wednesday, except the first Wednesday of the month, serving approximately 1,200 families each month with emergency food bags. These bags contain 2 pounds of beans, 2 pounds of rice, tomato sauce, bread, cereal, fruit, etc. for those with a cooking facility. The homeless receive canned foods, cups of soup, energy bars, peanut butter and jelly, fruit, bread, and bottled water.

St. Joseph’s Clothes Closet distributes free clothing four days a week; to women and children on Mondays and Wednesdays and to men on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

Showers are offered four days a week and serve approximately 340 men, women and children each month. Prior to their shower each person is given clean clothing and a hygiene packet.

Mary’s Children’s Program is an outreach established to assist mothers, fathers and guardians who are in crisis needing formula, baby food, juices, diapers, shampoos, lotions, blankets, etc. This program serves approximately 60 families each month. These items are given free of charge, but do require a referral from a social worker, doctor or hospital.

Free Medical Clinic is available on-site twice a year; however, we can refer our guests who are in need of medical attention to two collaborative agencies.

Veronica’s Home of Mercy is a 40-bed long-term Catholic/Christian transitional home for adult pregnant women with their children as an alternative to domestic violence, abortion, substance abuse, and/or homelessness.

Casa Merced I & II are extensions of the program at Veronica’s Home of Mercy. Residents who have completed a successful program have an opportunity to be advanced to one of these homes, preparing them for re-entry into society. Usually, these mothers are pursuing their education and/or working, as well as, looking into some kind of permanent housing of their own. Their cost to live at Casa Merced is minimal; $300 per month — Mary’s Mercy Center pays for all utilities and the maintenance.

Annual Christmas Eve Party is always held on December 24th. With the involvement of over 150 volunteers that day and hundreds of donors, the Christmas Eve Party has grown into a very large, heartwarming and involved outreach. On that day, besides a holiday meal, Mary’s Mercy Center gives over 1,000 children a picture with Santa, a new, wrapped gift and a bag of candy. In addition, each child participates in a raffle drawing, hoping to draw a ticket that says "WINNER," for a larger gift, or a ticket that says "BIKE," which entitles them to a new bike! Each adult receives a wrapped shoe box filled with toiletries, etc. Please click here for additional information and pictures of the Christmas Bike Drive.