In The News

Empowering Recovery for Johnston...
The drug overdose epidemic hits close to home for Johnston Center resident Lisa. “I’ve lost so many people and seen so many people in my life on drugs, and I’ve lost people to drug overdoses.” The death of her best friend was an especially painful loss. Fighting back tears, Lisa shared, “That was such a
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Community Spirits Shines in Batavia's...
Summer fun began at Batavia Apartments, where community spirit thrives. In June, Eagle Scout Aidan Post led youth residents in beautifying the area by planting flowers, herbs, fruits, and vegetables and painting birdhouses. The project, funded by The Scotts Miracle-Gro Foundation and KidsGardening, was supported by the University of Illinois Extension, which helped maintain the
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Hope and Healing: The Transformative...
Farrell Mike grew up in a big family on the west side of Chicago. He was a triplet and the youngest of 26 kids. Farrell witnessed a lot of violence growing up, and the final straw was when one of his childhood friends was shot while they were playing outside. In 1972, his mom moved
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Finding Laughter and Joy through...
“Here [in America] we’ve built anew, new friends and new memories and new everything, but we still have shared backgrounds and sometimes we remember these things together.” – Selma Originally from Baghdad, Selma has lived at Marian Park Apartments in Wheaton for the past seven years. Marian Park is a multilingual community where residents speak
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Talema's Story
Talema has been a caregiver for most of her life. “I helped raise my sister so my mom could work, and then I helped raise the other two [siblings].” Later, she became a mother of two children, a daughter and a son with autism. When her children were young, her then-boyfriend became physically and emotionally
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Increasing Mental Health Services...
Loneliness is on the rise across America, and it poses a serious risk to not only our emotional health but also to our physical health. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy in a recent Surgeon General Advisory warns that “Loneliness is far more than just a bad feeling—it harms both individual and societal health. It is
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Making Connections at Project...
This past October marked the 11th year that Mercy Housing Lakefront has partnered with Project Homeless Connect in Milwaukee to help people in need connect with housing opportunities and services. Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson and County Executive David Crowley kicked off the event by sharing their commitment to creating more affordable housing options and services
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Showcasing Sustainability Efforts...
On the morning of October 12, Mercy Housing Lakefront was delighted to host U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm and a group from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) for a tour of Englewood Apartments. Terri Bowman, a resident of the community, showed Secretary Granholm and visitors the features in her apartment home. Englewood Apartments
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Moving Forward Together: Building...
Moving Forward Together 2023: Building Healthy Communities was held on September 27 in downtown Chicago and featured an enlightening fireside chat between author Dr. Eve L. Ewing and Mercy Housing Lakefront board member Desiré Hunter. Dr. Ewing shared her personal experiences, explained why social determinants of health are important when building healthy communities, and challenged
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Beyond the Uniform: One Veteran’s...
Terry was born in Chicago and grew up on the South Side. He served in the Military for several years, starting in 1975. “I was fortunate – I did not see combat, but there were a tremendous number of men that did, and I’ve seen the aftermath of it,” Terry explains. “That’s where my addiction
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