Dear Fellow SIBs,
We are thrilled to announce that The Artist in All™ event will be back LIVE and IN PERSON on Wednesday, July 19 in the Modern Wing of the Art Institute of Chicago.
In honor of our 26th The Artist in All, we ask all of our SIBS members to support our event by attending, sponsoring and helping to bring in new sponsorships. Last year The Artist in All raised more than $1,000,000 for Misericordia Home. Our goal this year is to surpass this dollar amount. We can only do this with the collective effort of you and the Siblings Organization.
We need you to:
Included here are a sponsorship tool kit, a PDF sponsorship brochure with a fillable form and a link to our event website.
If you have any questions about sponsorships or The Artist in All event, please reach out directly to Lois Gates’ office at 773-273-4160 or
Caitlin Deptula
AIA Chair
Megan Biggam
President Sibling Organization
by Barb Quaintance
We all know that Misericordia takes excellent care of the residents’ physical and health needs, but Mis is equally focused on their mental and spiritual well-being. One of the counseling techniques used to address that well-being is art therapy. Misericordia’s Art Therapists, Miriam Hudson and Sarah Peters, work within the counseling department led by Geana Connelly. Miriam and Sarah work with residents across campus and in the CILAs. To become a practicing art therapist, one must pursue a Masters in Art Therapy which includes 1500 hours of direct client contact through internships, as well as a rigorous course load, and a focus on self-reflection. After receiving a Masters, they work toward licensure as an art therapist and/or counselor by passing an exam and completing 2000 hours under supervision. These talented therapists bring a special creativity and empathy to their interactions with the residents.
During the month of May, Misericordia is recognizing the following departments with Appreciation events, including the delivery of bakery goods and meals, raffles and employee gifts:
Nurses/Nurse Practitioners/Nursing Secretaries who manage the day-to-day health of the residents and keep our loved ones healthy and safe.
Doctors who support the medical and psychological needs of the residents. Thank you to Dr. Sikorski and the other Doctors.
Dental Clinic which provides dental services to residents on campus.
McAuley Residence Teacher/Dieticians/Respiratory Aide who support the needs of the McAuley residents.
We are asking that families write notes of thanks and appreciation to the staff in these departments and email them to us at
McAuley families: please send us emails for the McAuley Nurses and Secretary; the Doctors; the Teacher, Dieticians and Respiratory Aide; and the Dental Clinic. We would appreciate you indicating that your notes are for the McAuley Nursing Staff.
All other Misericordia families: please send us emails to the Nurses, Nurse Practitioners, Secretary and Doctors; the Dieticians; and the Dental Clinic.
by Tina Stendardo
The Program Delivery team is committed to providing families with quarterly updates on all programs.
Please click here to view the first quarterly newsletter. Enjoy!
by Linda Buchalo
The Rosemary and Connelly Homes were built in 2001, funded by several benefactors. This living area consists of two adjoining buildings situated on the Misericordia campus. The homes were originally built to meet the needs of 32 children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities and significant physical challenges. The homes are now licensed for adults only and have a combined population of 32 adults. The homes are co-ed, and its residents are non-ambulatory. Each house has a dedicated group of trained staff who work to provide specialized care and support for each resident, and to create a comfortable, safe home environment.
The “Packets” full of so very many MFA Benefit paper documents from yesteryears are no more. They can now be found by going to www.mfabenefit.org and clicking on DOCUMENTS in the menu bar at the top of the page.
You can also click here to access the documents. The important forms and informational documents cover the Ad Book, Sponsorships, Raffles, Reservations, Silent Auction, Giving Tree, Invitation, the Renaissance, and the Benefit Guide.
Please review, read, download, and print your own documents as needed! If you are unable to print or access the documents on your own, copies are available in the MFA Benefit Documents bin located on a table in the vestibule at Thome Reception.
Documents can also be accessed from the bottom of each of the Benefit website pages that they belong to (after clicking on a particular menu item).
Dinner Reservations - How to purchase your tickets
Thank you to everyone who was able to join us for a stimulating and informative MFA Membership Meeting on Sunday April 16. For those MFA members and friends who were unable to attend Sunday's meeting in person, and for those who want to relive the highlights, we offer a video of the meeting. We have inserted a video (at 3:15 in the recording) about Sr. Rosemary's Laetare Award from Notre Dame University, which was not able to be viewed during the meeting.
Click here to watch the video of the meeting.
by Linda Buchalo
Following a long holiday hiatus, we’ll continue our tour of the residential living areas on the Misericordia campus. Today, we’ll visit McGowan Home, built in the summer of 1998. The home is brick construction with large windows so that the residents can easily view the outdoors. McGowan has 16 adult residents, both men and women, all of whom have physical disabilities with similar needs. The residence has a common living room, dining room, and bedrooms with accessible bathrooms. The house was built with spacious areas to accommodate positioning equipment and therapy needs. There is also an office for the QIDP. McGowan has a garden area where residents can gather to enjoy nature and spend time outdoors.
During April, the staff in the following departments are being recognized and there will be an appreciation luncheon on Tuesday, April 25th.
Housekeeping whose exemplary work impacts the quality of life for our residents and the entire community.
Laundry which provides clean linens and clothing to many areas on campus.
Kitchen/Food Services who prepare meals for residents on campus, Misericordia events and special events.
Misericordia Businesses which include the Greenhouse Inn Restaurant, Heartstrings Gift Shop, the Sweetheart Shoppe in Glenview, and the Hearts and Flour Bakery & Café.
Bakery whose hand-working staff produce the delicious baked goods that Misericordia is famous for while supporting the residents who work in the bakery.
Security which works around the clock to ensure that Misericordia is safe for the residents and staff.
We need six volunteers to help set-up, greet the staff and clean-up at the April 25th luncheon. For more details and to sign-up, please go to this link:
Meeting will be held on Sunday April 16, 2023 in the Jean Marie Ryan Center. Doors will open at 10:30 am, membership meeting will be called to order at 11:00 am and will adjourn at noon.
Immediately following the meeting there will be opportunities for socializing (complete with some surprise sweet treats).
The Benefit committee will be hard at work and available to answer any benefit questions. There will be representatives from all of the Benefit committees including Reservations, Ad Book, Sponsorship, Raffles, Silent Auction, and Buy It Now - Gift Cards.
Do's & Don'ts for the Meeting
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