Mary's Mercy Center Breakfast Fundraiser for Men's Homeless Shelter

When faced with fulfilling a Community Service Project for the American Legion Auxiliary Unit 155, Mary's Mercy Center, who is raising funds for a Men’s Homeless Shelter, quickly came to mind. The center attempts by its programs to build up and affirm the personal dignity and worth of each person that has been taken from him/her by poverty and the social ills of our times. The center provides a daily hot meal, emergency food bags, showers and hygiene kits for men and women, bus passes, formula, diapers, etc. for infants, medical screenings, clothes closet and long-term transitional living for 35 women and 60 children. Since 1995, the center has been providing homeless women and children with comprehensive transitional housing services. This program has grown and now serves well over 100 individuals annually. In 2012, understanding the lack of resources for homeless men, Mary's Mercy Center made a commitment to provide the same high quality, evidence-based programming for men that they do for women. The men's program will provide comprehensive services including behavioral health, medical and other supportive services, at one location. The center is looking forward to working with the community to improve the lives of homeless individuals, thus changing the entire community. The center has purchased a parcel of land where the shelter is to be built. With this thought in mind, the American Legion Auxiliary Unit 155 moved forward with plans for a breakfast fundraiser. Friends, Auxiliary members and individuals who got word on our community service project came forward to help promote this fundraiser via social media, church bulletins and ticket sales. Many hours of cooking time were spent in preparing the Chile Verde, homemade refried-beans and home-style potatoes for the Huevos Rancheros Breakfast as well as in preparing the delicious breakfast Menudo. On Sunday morning, at 8 a.m. many individuals started to arrive, some with prepaid tickets in hand and many who paid when placing their breakfast order. By 8:30 a.m., the entire hall was filled with people complimenting the cooks for the delicious food, complimentary coffee, juice and Mexican Pan Dulce (sweet bread). The sounds of festive Latino music, by D.J. Carlos Alba, filled the hall as guests conversed with friends and neighbors. The tables, covered with table cloths of bright yellow, red and orange, and decorated with wine bottles filled with handmade-paper flowers in bright colors added to the relaxed atmosphere. By 11:30 a.m., over 300 guests had come to support this well-worthy fundraiser.