1. A Solution for Kids in Crisis
Mercy Home for Boys & Girls
2010 Annual Report
This report covers Mercy Home’s fiscal year,
which ran from July 1, 2009 through June 30, 2010.

2. Our young people’s challenges don’t
define them. Their strengths do.
We help young people succeed by helping
them identify their strengths, which
include the people who will be there for
them as they work to transform their lives.
Mercy Home’s strength is in the many
people who stand by us and who make
this life-changing work possible. It’s in
our donors who continue to sustain us,
no matter the economic climate. It’s in
our coworkers who constantly strive to offer our young people the
highest quality care and support. It’s in the volunteers who give
so generously of their time to make a difference in the lives of
children. And, it’s in the outstanding men and women who make
up our boards, whose vast experience, compassion and dedication
help advance this mission to the benefit of future generations.
For all of these people, and for God’s abundant grace, I am
truly grateful. As the following pages depict, our young men
and women made remarkable gains during the past year.
Their achievements also make evident the impact caring people can
have when we share our strengths for the benefit of young people.
Blessings,
Rev. L. Scott Donahue
President & CEO
Mercy Home for Boys & Girls
We Served
Youth served since 1887 24,000
Youth served last year 706
Youth who received assessment or referral services 314
Youth who lived in our residential programs 177
Youth served by our AfterCare program 207
Youth in our Friends First mentoring program 85
0 100 200 300 400 500 600 700 24,000

3. Kids In Crisis
Before entering Mercy Home, each child receives a thorough assessment to help us
create an individualized treatment plan with goals and timetables. The data that results
from this process tells us the following about the challenges so many kids face.
Abuse Impact on Education
Before they come to live at Mercy Home, 77% of Chaos and instability in a child’s home severely impact
our young people had suffered some form of abuse: performance in school. Upon admission to Mercy Home,
our youth:
100
Mercy Home
U.S.* Tested behind grade level in reading 64%
75 Tested 1+ year behind in reading 55%
69%
Tested behind grade level in math 71%
50 46% Tested 1+ year behind in math 64%
21% 16%
25 Repeated a grade
16.1%
9.1% 7.3%
Rarely attended school 23%
0
Sexual Physical Emotional 02 55 07 5 100
*According to data provided by US Dept. of Health and Human Services
Family Challenges and Poverty Average Years Behind
Children come to Mercy Home from some of the most
difficult family circumstances. At the time of admission,
our young people reported: 0
No biological 1 Tested Tested
100 father in 3.3 years 2.7 years
the home 3.3 behind in 2.7 behind in
Mercy Home 2 math reading
80 kids in 88%
poverty 3
60 69% No biological
parent as
guardian
40 47%
20
0

4. A Solution
Since 1887, more than 24,000 young 25
people have come to Mercy Home
seeking shelter from the storm and 20
comfort in times of crisis. But, when
they come to us, they also yearn for
15 Youth lived
a lasting solution — opportunities to at Mercy
make real change, and tools to build Home for
a lifetime of achievement. 10 an average
of 23.9
Time to Heal months
5
Mercy Home works with each child
for as long as is needed to affect lasting,
positive change. Youth lived with us for 0
an average of 23.9 months. Many have
spent most of their adolescence at
Mercy Home.
Educational Success
At Mercy Home, we surround our young people with
an array of educational programs to help them close
achievement gaps. Our support includes placing them
in the most appropriate schools, providing tutoring five
nights a week, computerized learning technology in math
and reading, supplementary coursework delivered at the
Home by professional educators, fully-equipped learning
centers on each of our two campuses and more.
This coordinated approach gets results.
100
96%
75 of those
100% still living
who 100% 83%
with us at of youth 67%
62% were of our
50 the end of who were of youth
improved failing high
the school behind who were
grades improved school
year gained behind
from grades seniors
25 advanced ground in gained
pre-Mercy graduated
a grade reading ground in
Home
level math
0
Average 4
Years
Youth who Youth who
Gained 3 were behind were behind
gained gained
average of average of
2 1.5 years 1.8 years
in math in reading
1 1.5 1.8
0

5. Sustainable Success
Success is more sustainable when
young people have access to a
Young people offered membership into AfterCare 100%
network of continuing support. In upon leaving residential programs
that way, our AfterCare program
Young people who connected with AfterCare within 6 54%
keeps former residents connected
months of leaving Mercy Home for a strengths assessment,
to their Mercy Home family and which is used in developing a long-term support plan
to an extensive host of support 67%
Young people remained active in AfterCare
services, such as educational or
for at least a year after their strengths assessment
career counseling, help in finding 80%
housing, family therapy and much AfterCare members made appropriate
quarterly progress toward their potential
more. The result is that more
79%
of our young people continue Maintained gains made while living at Mercy Home
to make progress as they work 0 25 50 75 100
toward creating a life outside of
Mercy Home.
Preparing for Work
Many young people come to Mercy Home from
some of the most economically-challenged areas
of Chicago. It’s critical that we underscore for
these children the connection between hard
work and success.
Even during a difficult recession, Mercy Home
was able to provide children with opportunities
to build hope based on achievement. Through
summer jobs and internships, our young people
acquire critical life skills and experience that will
enable them to grow into self-reliant adults.
100
75
94% Youth
17+ who 82% who
worked a worked held
50 same job for
summer job
or internship 6+ months
25 with area
businesses
0

6. Governance
Chairman - Darryl G. Schimeck,
Atlantic Plant Services
President - Rev. L. Scott Donahue,
Mercy Home for Boys & Girls
Secretary - Mary Pat Hay
Treasurer - Robert Greco
Patrick H. Arbor,
Macquarie Futures USA, Inc.
Rev. Michael Boland,
Archdiocese of Chicago
Rich Daniels,
City Lights Music Inc.
Edward J. Noha,
CNA Financial Corporation
Mercy Home is nationally accredited by
the Council of Accreditation of Services for
Families and Children, Inc. (COA)
FINANCIAL STATEMENT
OPERATING REVENUE
Support from donors 27,024,968 93.9%
Sale of printing services 920,559 3.2% A CLOSER LOOK AT
Government revenue 101,969 .4% 2009—2010
Family support 54,032 .2% Mercy Home raised
Other 678,966 2.3% 99.6% of its operating
revenue privately.
Total 28,780,494 100%
This includes support
OPERATING EXPENSES from donors, sale of
Program services printing services, family
Youth care 17,537,616 65.7% support and other
miscellaneous sources.
Mission press 1,240,519 4.7%
Televised Sunday mass 813,815 3.0% Approximately 2.8% Management
23.8% 73.4%
73 cents of every Fund and General Program
Total program services 19,591,950 73.4%
dollar spent on Raising Services
Fundraising 6,341,657 23.8% operating expenses
Management and general 751,629 2.8% went toward
Total current year operating expenses 26,685,236 100% program services.
Program enhancement 2,095,258 Mercy Home’s
Total 28,780,494 fundraising ratio,
defined as fundraising
expenses as a percentage
ASSETS
of support from donors, was 23.4%
Current assets 5,164,061
Investments 65,098,954 INVESTMENTS
Fixed assets 32,426,864 Total investments 65,098,954
Other 595,729
Permanently restricted funds for scholarships 3,373,047
Total assets 103,285,608
Board designated for annuity and trust obligations 9,544,721
LIABILITIES
Accounts payable and accrued expenses 2,831,399 Other restricted funds 207,261
Gift annuities payable, charitable Unrestricted investments available for future operations 51,973,925
9,769,607
trusts and asset retirement obligations
One way we honor our commitment to the children we care for is
Total liabilities 12,601,006
by maintaining an investment portfolilo, which provides a safety
NET ASSETS (Assets Minus Liabilities) net. The funds from the endowment are invested and overseen by
Unrestricted 76,395,995 our Board. As of June 30, 2010, our unrestricted investments would
Board designated for cover operating expenses for up to 23 months.
9,544,721
annuity and trust obligations
Temporarily restricted 954,094
Permanently restricted 3,789,792
Total net assets 90,684,602

7. Looking Ahead
Preparation is the key to success.
It’s also the key to weathering the
inevitable storms. Our nation was
hit by one of the greatest economic
storms in its history. But thanks to
careful planning and the outstanding
leadership of Fr. Scott Donahue, Mercy
Home can report that it has not merely
kept a light burning in the darkness —
it is boldly charting a clear course for
the future.
This is what Mercy Home does.
It faithfully stewards the support it
receives from its donors, while it builds on an exemplary tradition
of caring for kids in crisis.
It’s also what they do for the kids who live there. Mercy Home finds
young people during their darkest hours. They pick them up. They
give them safety and shelter. And most importantly, they prepare
them for lifetimes of success — especially when it comes to giving
these kids a good education.
We owe it to our children—and to our country — to prepare them to
solve tomorrow’s crises, small and large, no matter what they might
be. That’s why Mercy Home thoroughly reorganized its educational
programs, the results of which you can see described in this report.
And, it’s why we are now launching the Legacy of Learning campaign.
This multi-year effort will help us provide the best education possible
for kids who come to us not just today, but tomorrow, and forever.
I look forward to keeping our stakeholders updated about our
progress in the coming years.
Sincerely,
Darryl G. Schimeck
Board Chairman,
Mercy Home for Boys & Girls

8. Mission Statement
Mercy Home for Boys & Girls is a Catholic
organization answering the Gospel call by
ministering to children and families in need.
Mercy Home:
• Saves young lives by providing a safe
environment, a nurturing home, and
opportunity for an excellent education
and means for personal growth.
• Supports healing for families.
• Is committed to raising public awareness
of youth in need and encourages support
to help them.
• Is sustained by benefactors who believe
in the miracle of God’s mercy in action.
For more information visit
us at www.mercyhome.org
1140 West Jackson Blvd
Chicago, IL 60607
312.738.7560