The Misericordia Art Department: Sparking Creativity While Adding Beauty to the Community 
by Barb Quaintance
Here’s some history you may not know: Misericordia’s Art Program began in 1985 to provide work opportunities for our residents. The Coleman Foundation funded the program’s first project with Fannie May Candies. Residents created miniature ceramic replicas of the famous white baskets that held Fannie May’s delectable chocolates. This project showcased the talents of our adult residents and marked a new and exciting chapter in Misericordia’s story.
More than forty years later, the Art Department, overseen by Julie O’Sullivan, is an important part of the lives of more than two hundred residents and brings creativity and beauty to the Misericordia campus and the broader community. The Art Department's overall goal is to provide residents with opportunities to learn and improve their art skills, spark their creativity, and showcase their work through exhibits and auctions. It enables our residents to become artists and celebrate their artistry.
RESIDENTS CHANGE: MISERICORDIA HELPS NAVIGATE THOSE CHANGES 
by Barb Quaintance
During the Aging With Grace webinars, staff from a variety of disciplines—Speech, OT, PT, Behavior, Nutrition, etc., shared what they look for as residents age. It raised the question: Is anyone taking a holistic look at the residents’ functional changes? It’s Misericordia, so, of course, the answer was Yes.
Chris Hegg Krackenberger, VP of Residential Services, explained that residents are routinely assessed at “functional change” meetings. These are interdisciplinary meetings when staff take a look at behavioral, physical, or functional changes that they observe in a resident. Some residential areas, such as McAuley and Marian Center, hold these meetings monthly. Other residential areas do them on a quarterly or as-needed basis. For example, if a Qualified Intellectual Disabilities Professional (Q) notices that a resident is not functioning as they have in the past or is exhibiting new behaviors, the Q will request a meeting to gather input from behavioral and physical therapies, DT/CDS, etc. The group shares what they see to determine a plan of action. This may include medical follow-up as well as strategies to help the resident cope and adapt to the changes they’re experiencing.
Sharing Your Time and Talents 
by Linda Buchalo
Are you looking for a way to give back? Are you interested in having some fun? Do you want to support one of Chicago’s most treasured organizations? Become a Misericordia volunteer! You can make a difference by choosing from many different opportunities. When you volunteer at Misericordia, expect to make new friends, have a good time, and feel rewarded.
Let’s talk about how to get started and cover some of the many volunteer opportunities that are available.
The easiest way to jump into a volunteer role is to attend an orientation for new volunteers. At that meeting, staff try to match someone’s current interests and availability with current volunteer needs.
Fun Facts and Stories About 2026 Candy Days 
by Barb Quaintance
We all know the basics of Candy Days: volunteers in the community raising awareness and funds for Misericordia, Giving Pages, candy packets, etc., etc. But here are some additional fun facts and stories from 2026 Candy Days that might be new to you!
- There were 230 Candy Days collection locations and there was real growth in the number of schools and churches who participated.
- While it’s hard to get a specific count, there were approximately 2000 Candy Days volunteers in Chicago and throughout the suburbs.
- Roughly 200 of our Misericordia residents collected at sites throughout Chicagoland.
- In addition to cash, Zelle and Venmo were accepted. Venmo donations nearly doubled from last year.
- Instead of jelly beans, this year packets of Haribo Gummies were handed out - over 100,000 of them!
- 454 Candy Days Giving Pages were created, taking in nearly 10,000 individual donations. The average page raised about $4000.
Welcome to Misericordia: The New Family Orientation 
by Barb Quaintance
We all vividly remember the day our family member became a Misericordia resident, even if that was many years ago. It was likely marked by some combination of joy, excitement, sadness, and trepidation. The following weeks were also emotional: helping our child navigate this huge transition, learning about all the staff involved in our child’s care, and understanding the expectations of being a member of the Misericordia community. We looked to the staff to give us all the “facts”, but we might have felt like we needed a sherpa to help navigate this new and sometimes overwhelming situation. That’s where the Misericordia Family Association (MFA) comes in.
The MFA is the membership organization for parents/guardians of residents at Misericordia; in fact, families automatically become members when their family member is admitted to Misericordia. It’s the MFA's goal to welcome new families—parents and siblings—and to provide support over the years.
Lead Job Coaches: An Asset for New Misericordia Staff 
by Barb Quaintance
It’s not easy to start a new job. Even with good orientation and training, it’s very different once you are in the job. There’s a need to become competent in the necessary skills. There’s learning the culture of an organization. There’s understanding what to do when things don’t go according to plan. That’s where the Misericordia Lead Job Coaches (LJC) come in: they partner with new staff in their residential area to support them throughout their first year on the job.
Who are the Lead Job Coaches—and how do you become an LJC? A Direct Support Professional (DSP) who is recognized by their supervisor for their excellence and confidence in their job is referred to Human Resources. The DSP then applies when the LJC position is posted in their area. The area ultimately decides if they will be selected for their new role. When a DSP is chosen, they attend a two-day HR training session where they learn to use their leadership skills to support new hires. They also work with HR throughout the year to hone their skills. Typically, a new hire will shadow an LJC for two weeks, observing how they perform specific tasks and interact with residents. The LJC is available to the new staff for their entire first year at Misericordia.
At the Ready: All About the Misericordia Emergency Operation Plan 
by Linda Buchalo
Every day, we see Misericordia staff in action as they care for and work with our family members. It’s awe-inspiring to see how smoothly the process runs, given that many of the residents need a lot of supervision and may have difficulty following directions. Yet, day after day, life goes relatively smoothly for over 600 residents, both on and off campus. We can thank the amazing planning capabilities of Misericordia administrators and staff for this minor miracle.
What happens when an unexpected event causes a glitch in the daily routine? Think about situations that you have experienced in your own life—medical emergencies, severe weather conditions, hazardous spills that require evacuation, and so on. Imagine having to deal with situations like these for 600+ residents and 1600+ staff.
The Artist in All: Everything You Wanted to Know 
by Barb Quaintance and Julie O'Sullivan
Most Misericordia families have a favorite Misericordia event: the MFA Benefit, Family Fest, Candy Days, and the Women’s Ball. My favorite is the Artist in All. It’s a spectacular event, and the residents are the stars of the show.
I wanted to learn more about the history of the Artist in All (AIA) and what it takes to pull off this memorable evening, so I talked to Julie O’Sullivan, Director of Events and Public Relations for the Misericordia Foundation. Julie is instrumental in making AIA the success it is, and she has a lot to share.
Sharing Involvement With Brothers and Sisters: The SIBS Organization 
by Barb Quaintance
Siblings have lifelong relationships that can bring great joy. But there are also challenges in any relationship, including relationships with our special family members. The Misericordia SIBS organization celebrates those sibling relationships. Its members are actively engaged in the lives of their brothers and sisters and in the broader Misericordia community.
The SIBS organization has four core elements:
- Active Involvement: SIBS are actively engaged in the lives of their resident sibling and their family.
- Support and Networking: SIBS share experiences and navigate the journey that will lead many of them to guardianship.
- Events: SIBS work on many fundraising events with the goal of not just raising money but of bringing families together.
- Advocacy and Education: SIBS are engaged in legislative and policy issues that directly affect the MIs community.
Beautifying and Expanding the Misericordia Campus: The Notre Dame Study
by Barb Quaintance
If you ask, they might just say yes.
When Father Jack and Sister Rosemary went to Notre Dame for Sister Rosemary to accept the 2023 Laetare Medal, they were joined by Matt and Joyce Walsh. The Walshes had not only funded an architecture school at Notre Dame, but they also have a niece who resides at Misericordia. Knowing this, Father Jack and Sister Rosemary asked the Notre Dame architecture department if they would conduct a study of the Misericordia campus, recommending improvements and enhancements. And Notre Dame said, "Yes"!
The Dean of Notre Dame’s School of Architecture came to Misericordia to explore possibilities. He was immediately impressed by the campus and assigned a team of architects to work on the study. The scope of the study was the physical plant, not services or current residences. Their focus was on using the campus most efficiently and building/modifying structures to meet Misericordia’s evolving needs.
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