For 28 years Mercy Caritas has funded program across several states,
just one being backpacks for hungry kids in Berryville, Arkansas
By Mercy's Tina Rockhold
Caring for people extends far beyond Mercy’s bricks and mortar. And thanks to $600,000 in Mercy grants, well over 100,000 lives will be touched and enriched within the next year.
This year, 32 social service agencies across four states will receive grants as part of the Mercy Caritas and Catherine McAuley Area of Greatest Need grant programs. Mercy Caritas (caritas meaning “charity” in Latin) was established by Mercy in 1987 to provide funds to health and human services programs that meet unique community needs.
Now in its 28th year of operation, Mercy Caritas is providing a total of $500,000 in grants to the recipients listed below. The Catherine McAuley fund offers an additional $100,000 in grants funding supported by Mercy co-workers as part of the annual Mercy Way campaign.
The money is awarded to programs in communities where Mercy serves. This year’s recipients include:
Arkansas
- Mercy Crest Charity Fund, Fort Smith, Arkansas – Equipment and supplies for senior residents
- Northwest Arkansas Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner Program, Rogers, Arkansas – Training for 20 nurses
- Operation Food for Hungry Kids, Berryville, Arkansas – Food to support the backpack program
- Riverview Hope Campus, Fort Smith, Arkansas – Equipment
- Saint Vincent DePaul Society Food Pantry, Rogers, Arkansas – Food purchases
Missouri
- ALIVE, Inc. – ALIVE in Missouri, St. Louis, Missouri – Intake counseling and expansion in Lincoln County
- Ambassadors for Children, Springfield, Missouri – Clothing
- At Risk Mothers and Babies, Springfield, Missouri – Baby supplies and emergency support
- Care Transitions Program, St. Louis, Missouri – Education and support for low-income patients with chronic diseases
- Expanding Teen Tobacco Prevention, St. Louis, Missouri – Training and materials for smoking cessation
- Flu Vaccinations and Treatment Program, Joplin, Missouri – Medicine
- FocusFirst Program, Springfield, Missouri – Equipment
- Healthy Families Healthy Babies Program, Springfield, Missouri – Education materials
- HORIZONS, St. Louis, Missouri – Grief counseling for children
- Housing Assistance Program, St. Charles, Missouri – To increase access to services for homeless individuals
- Insight Program, Springfield, Missouri – Equipment for low-vision patients
- Joplin Diabetes Bridge Program, Joplin, Missouri – Diabetes testing supplies
- Kornerstone Teen Parent Program, Shell Knob, Missouri – Supplies
- Lifehouse Crisis Maternity Program, Springfield, Missouri – Transportation, supplies and job training
- Medication Assistance for Uninsured/Low Income Residents, Mountain View, Missouri – Medication and diabetes testing supplies
- Mountainview Community Smoking Cessation Program, Springfield, Missouri – Supplies
- Safe to Sleep Program, Springfield, Missouri – Supplies for a women’s shelter
- The Tooth Truck, Springfield, Missouri – Dental and hygiene supplies
Oklahoma
- Diabetic Eye Health Program, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma – Supplies
- Down with Diabetes Program, Ada, Oklahoma – Education materials
- GSCC Medical Equipment/Wellness Classroom, Ardmore, Oklahoma – Equipment and supplies for a wellness classroom
- Improving Health of Children in Johnston County, Tishomingo, Oklahoma – Food and after-school programs
- Mercy in Schools, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma – Medical support items for schools
- Prescription Assistance Program, Tulsa, Oklahoma – Medication
- The Discovery Program, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma – To evaluate and teach children with autism
Texas
- Begin Again Program, Laredo Texas – Support for domestic abuse survivors
- Mercy Ministries, Si Texas, Laredo, Texas – Medical supplies
