The best way to start the Holiday Season is to take the time to be grateful for our blessings and celebrate the goodness in life.

Thanks to volunteers from Capital One and Bank of America, hundreds of formerly homeless adults and at-risk children enjoyed healthy and positive activities this fall.

Capital One sponsored and provided volunteers at two special events benefiting at-risk youth living in Chicago’s Austin community.

In October, Capital One volunteers worked alongside the youth involved in Mercy’s afterschool program to cleanup and put the community garden to bed for the winter.  They then celebrated another successful year of bounty and healthy eating with a Harvest Party that included games and a hearty dinner.

In November, Capital One volunteers returned to help the children learn to make a healthy and delicious soup full of vegetables.  To support families’ efforts to prepare healthy homemade meals, Capital One donated crock pots to each participating family.

Capital One also provided financial and volunteer support to celebrate the the book release of Postcards from the Edgy 2: The Community Edition, a collection of art and poetry made by formerly homeless residents participating in Mercy Housing Lakefront’s Art Therapy Program.

Over 150 people attended the book release party at Capital One 360 Café, located at 21 E. Chestnut Street on November 12.  Attendees viewed artwork, ate delicious food, enjoyed poetry readings, and enjoyed poetry readings.

Special thanks to Leslie Tieszen, Tania Birch, and Allison Krass at Capital One for the hard work and dedication to MHL’s mission that made all of these events so successful!

Thanks to generous support from Bank of America, residents at Harold Washington Apartments enjoyed the true spirit of Thanksgiving on November 20.  For the fourth year in a row, volunteers from Bank of America served a delicious Thanksgiving feast to approximately 50 residents.

MHL is especially grateful to Julie Chavez, Steve Adamczyk and Dillon Dalton at Bank of America for the commitment and big-hearted spirit that made this event so successful and special.