Serving Families in Need
For a family, a stable home is a foundation upon which to build a successful life. It is the freedom to study, to aspire, to stive, to dream, without uncertainty or fear. At Mercy Housing, we believe every family should experience this kind of security.
More than 70% of Mercy Housing’s residents are families and when those families don’t have to worry about the safety and affordability of their home, they can focus on gaining new career skills, helping their children do well in school and becoming involved in their communities.
At Mercy Housing, we support our residents in their efforts to build better lives. We believe that our families need more than housing to overcome barriers to success; they also request on-site services where they live. For youth, affordable program-enriched housing has been linked to better academic performance because of the stability it provides. With that in mind, Mercy Housing Resident Services provides comprehensive educational programs to youth in the after school hours and complements these programs with family-centered support services. The main goal is for families to maintain housing stability and move toward economic self-sufficiency as a family unit.
The greatest gift you can give a family is a safe, stable place where they can dream. Mercy Housing empowers families to grow, learn and succeed and realize their place in the world. Join Mercy Housing in our efforts to give families the gift of home and make our communities better places to live.
Serving Women & Mothers for more than 35 Years
Representing 60 percent of Mercy Housing’s adult resident population, women are an important part of our communities across the country. We remain committed to serving women and mothers through our affordable housing properties as well as the resident services we provide.
Below are some of our programs that support women nationwide:
- Miriam Apartments – Located in a historic district of Chicago’s Uptown neighborhood, the Miriam Apartments were originally built in 1925 as a home for senior citizens. The four-story brick building was acquired by Mercy Housing in 1991 and transformed into an affordable housing complex for women who were otherwise unable to afford a home, making it the first development of its kind in Illinois. The first floor of the building offers a large community kitchen, recreation room and resident lounge. The building was named for Sister Miriam Friday and her lifetime of work with Uptown’s poor and homeless.
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Courageous Women, Fierce Times – This six-week seminar held at a family property in Atlanta, GA focused on helping women with career mapping, business etiquette, health & fitness, time management and budgeting. The seminar was taught by Stephanie Duncan, a former Mercy Housing resident who used the opportunities and stability at Mercy Housing to rebuild her life and eventually write a book about her experiences.
- RAAP Program – Through a grant from the Department of Health and Human Services, Mercy Housing partners with the Rape Assistance and Awareness Program (RAAP) to offer on-site domestic violence prevention workshops for women at our Colorado properties. The workshops cover tips on how to identify and prevent child abuse, teach women about healthy dating and relationship decisions and provide self-defense training.
- Decatur Place Apartments – Decatur Place Apartments is a four-story transitional family housing development in Denver, CO. The majority of women that come to Decatur Place are homeless and in need of basic necessities such as food, clothing, infant care, furniture and other household staples. Many residents come without high school diplomas and are unemployed or employed in unstable, minimum wage positions. When residents come to Decatur Place, they are enrolled in the transitional program which assists them in finding full time work and/or finishing their education. They also meet regularly with the Resident Services staff and attend on-site classes.
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Women of Worth Program – Held at one of our South Carolina properties, this program was designed to help women make healthier choices by teaching them how to incorporate nutrition and exercise into their lives. The program also provides referrals to health care resources to address important health concerns such as high blood pressure and breast cancer.
