by Barb Quaintance
We all know remarkable Misericordia staff; staff who are engaging, loving with the residents and leaders within their areas. These remarkable staff want to do even better, learn more, connect with other staff and, generally, make Misericordia an even better place.
Begun in 2021, Fit For Success is a staff development program, led by SD/HR staff Mary Ann Goode, Kristina Lipsey and Saul Hernandez. It not only provides staff with practical skills, it helps connect them to the Misericordia mission and their peers across campus. Open to all staff who have been employed for at least six months and with the approval of their Director, approximately 125 staff have completed the program. About fifteen staff--from DT Instructors to Housekeeping staff to Qs to DSPs—form a class and engage in two tiers of training. The focus of the tiers are:
by Barb Quaintance
If you’ve been in one of our art studios or classrooms, or if you’ve attended The Artist in All, you know that some of the greatest artists in Chicago are Misericordia residents. During August, the campus showcased twenty-six remarkable art installations, all created by residents and their staff partners.
The Art Walk was a campus-wide effort. Twenty-three different groups of residents created these outdoor masterpieces, which were placed throughout campus. The groups were led by DT instructors, CDS instructors, art therapists, recreation/fitness staff, speech pathologists, occupational therapists, McAuley staff and several DSPs. They included mosaics, windchimes, ceramics, sculptures, and other creative, beautiful pieces of art.
by Holly Jennings
If you see a resident all decked in shamrock clothing, you can be sure it is Ryan Jennings. Ryan loves his Irish heritage, and he specifically loves the bagpipes. When Ryan was a young boy before living at Misericordia, we would attend Family Fest every year. When the Shannon Rovers played, Ryan would dash away to find them to hear the beautiful music.
Years later, when he became a resident, I asked one of the Rovers if Ryan could carry the flag at Family Fest. I bought him a kilt online, and he carried the flag proudly. But after this experience, he wanted more! He told me he wanted to march with the Shannon Rovers at the Chicago Saint Patrick’s Day parade. I said, no, that’s probably not possible.
by Barb Quaintance
A staple at every Family Fest is the wonderful “Creations from the Heart” booth. Led by Jim & Lenore Varey and Mary Jo Gallaher, the booth sells beautiful handmade and handcrafted items. It’s a popular stop at the Fest!
The items sold at the booth include handmade afghans, blankets and quilted hats. Handcrafted wooden items, such as bird houses, cutting boards and holiday decorations are very popular as well. All items in the booth are donated by Misericordia family and friends.
Some of the “Creations from the Heart” artists have ‘retired’ over the last few years, so the booth leads are looking for additional artisans to donate their crafts and bolster the profits for Misericordia. And…they are open to all ideas!
If you're interested in donating or know someone who might be, or just have some creative suggestions, please contact Jim Varey at
by Kathryn and John Moery
“Anything we do should be done with the residents,” affirmed Daniel Driscoll, one of the founders of the Yesterday's/Tomorrow Composting Company - a new initiative that aims to create meaningful work opportunities through composting. Currently, there are nine CILA residents fully participating under the guidance of Daniel Driscoll, Liam Sanchez and Carmen Manfredini, staff members who founded the project. The founders exude a passion for this initiative to “shift the culture of Misericordia on how we perceive and process food waste while empowering residents to have a lasting impact on their community”. This work appeals not only to our residents but also to those who seek a better connection to themselves and the Earth.
by Barb Quaintance
Nestled on the corner of the Misericordia campus sits The Greenhouse Inn. For thirty-six years, The Greenhouse Inn has been a destination for residents, families, and friends from the community. Good food, good service by residents and volunteers, and the possibility of saying hello to Sister Rosemary or Father Jack makes The Greenhouse Inn the place to be.
The Greenhouse Inn serves approximately 30,000 diners per year. Patrons include families who dine with their residents, residents who are on dates or eating with friends, and large groups from the community. It’s not unusual to see a group of thirty having lunch or brunch at The Greenhouse Inn - and thoroughly enjoying the experience. Managers Lily Devey, a twenty-nine-year Misericordia employee who started at The Devon Café, and Katie Lewis, who joined Misericordia two years ago, keep The Greenhouse Inn humming. Felix Rivera is the head chef, responsible for the delicious offerings, and Manny Aguilar and Jorge Perez also cook. Believe it or not, they are the only paid staff!
by Sue Hartemeyer and Merrily Smith
The acronym, CILA, stands for Community Integrated Living Arrangement. The first one opened in 1996. It was called Hulseman-Murphy and was donated by the family who invented Red Solo Cups. Since then, the following CILAs were added:
1998 McAllister
2002 Farrow
2004 Walsh
2006 Houlihan
2007 Maxwell
2009 Eisenberg
The…in the 2010’s:
Baumgartner, Gerber-Hoag, Leland, Madden, Moore, Rafferty and Walsh-Slattery followed.
With the opening of the Cohen Home in February, the total number of CILAs will now be 15.
by Barb Quaintance
It’s a group no one wants to become a member of. But it’s a group that is a very important part of the Misericordia community–and is very meaningful to its members. The Misericordia Alumni Families (MAF) is a group of parents, guardians and siblings whose Misericordia loved one has passed away. (You’ll see them listed in the Misericordia directory with a heart next to their names.) Formed in 2014 by four families–the Tesmers (who lost Julie), the Scouffas’ (who lost Mary), the Hoynes (who lost Jeff) and the Gibbs (who lost Bryan)–the goals of the MAF are:
Sister Rosemary was the one who first suggested the term ‘alumni’ for the group, since she calls the residents who pass ‘graduates’ of Misericordia. The name resonated with the founders and the Misericordia Alumni Families was born.
by Kathryn Moery
Misericordia residents enjoy a proximity to nursing care that is hard to beat. Each residential community is assigned a nursing care staff. Many residential areas on the campus require nurses to administer medications, e.g. McAuley, McGowan, Marian Center, etc., and have dedicated nursing staff assigned to each location on each shift. The residences that do not require staff nurses, e.g. the Village, Mercy Glen, Shannon and the Community Homes (CILAs), have primary nurses assigned to each unit, who train the direct care staff members to administer the medications.
by Barb Quaintance
Misericordia asked. Families and staff responded.
Misericordia asked families and staff to donate coats, hats, gloves and warm clothes for the many migrant families who have come to Chicago. The response was overwhelming. Beginning just before Thanksgiving, hundreds of items of clothing were donated; in fact, an entire semi-trailer was filled to the brim.
Kathy Morris of the Ministry department spearheaded the big task of sorting the clothing and organizing the donations for community organizations. Residents from The Village and CILAs helped with the clothing sorting. Three days a week, for about ninety minutes each day, 6-8 residents sorted and folded the clothing, made sure mittens and gloves had matches, and checked the coats to be sure the zippers worked. It was a great experience for the residents and they took great pride in helping our new migrant neighbors. Clothing was donated to the City of Chicago, Rogers Park Refugee Program, Ignatian Mission Center and Something Good in Englewood. Because of the overwhelming response, Misericordia cannot accept any more clothing - but the sorting continues!
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