Friends Make Season Brighter for Mercy Home for Boys & Girls, Families in Chicago

CHICAGO, Dec. 20, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- While the economy has curtailed Christmas celebrations throughout the country, companies like Centro and the staff at Trump International Hotel and Tower are helping to make sure that the holiday spirit shines at Mercy Home for Boys & Girls. The children of Mercy Home, likewise, are doing their part to bring joy to people in need through acts of community service.

Helping to make the holidays especially bright is digital media technology company Centro, which through its Giving Tree Committee has donated Christmas gifts for former residents and families involved in its post-residential support program known as AfterCare. The gifts were distributed at Mercy Home's annual AfterCare Christmas Celebration on Thursday, December 15. The event allowed former residents to reconnect with their extended Mercy Home family and to access the supports that its AfterCare program offers. The gifts provided through Centro's Giving Tree Committee come at an especially critical time for many of the families who live at or near the poverty level, as the holidays can place an extra strain on already stretched household budgets.

"We are honored to have helped those in need through our partnership with Mercy Home for Boys & Girls," said Shawn Riegsecker, President of Centro. "Giving back is a pillar of the company's manifesto and a core trait of all Centro employees and we look forward to being more involved with the local community in 2012."

The staff at Trump International Hotel and Tower Chicago, who recently brought several Chicago Bears players and other local celebrities to Mercy Home to serve a Thanksgiving dinner, have donated gift cards for AfterCare families that will help them provide for holiday needs at a variety of retail chains.

Families gathered at the AfterCare celebration also enjoyed support from TransUnion, while students from St. Xavier University purchased and prepared the delicious holiday meal.

Young people currently living at Mercy Home are also getting into the holiday spirit of giving, performing community service projects at charities and non-profits throughout Chicago. In addition to working with sick children, hungry families, the homeless and more, they also honored the sacrifices of those who have served in the nation's wars by undertaking projects to support veterans, including those at Chicago's Jesse Brown VA Medical Center, and by sending cards and letters to troops currently serving overseas. The youth detailed their service projects at Mercy Home's annual Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony last week. Centro employees were also on hand at that event, serving hot chocolate to guests.

"I am proud of our young people who have stepped up, and have reached out to help others in need this Christmas," said Mercy Home President Fr. Scott Donahue. "And, I am so grateful to those in the business community and all of our faithful friends and donors everywhere who continue to provide their loving support for our young men and women," Donahue said.

Mercy Home invites the public to get involved in the lives of its young people and to help make this a merry Christmas and a healthy new year for the 134 young people currently in its full-time care. To learn about some of the amazing stories of transformation, and to make a donation in support of Mercy Home, read the 12 Kids of Christmas at mercyhome.org.

About Mercy Home for Boys & Girls

Mercy Home for Boys & Girls has been a solution for kids in crisis since 1887. Its full-time residential care, post-residential support program, and community-based mentoring programs provide life-saving services to more than 600 troubled and hurting young women and men every year. Mercy Home provides children who have suffered abuse, neglect, poverty and even abandonment with the therapeutic, academic and vocational help they need to build successful futures.

Mercy Home is 99.6% privately funded and operates at two locations in Chicago–a campus for boys at 1140 W. Jackson Blvd. and a campus for girls at 11600 S. Longwood Dr.

About Centro

Centro, a technology and media services company, makes it easy and efficient for advertising agencies to buy online media with one point of contact. Powered by Transis [http://www.transis.com/], its proprietary automated media buying and execution technology, Centro streamlines the entire process of media buying and selling for hundreds of national advertisers and agencies across more than 15,000 media opportunities. Founded in 2001 and headquartered in Chicago with 28 offices nationwide, Centro has served over 600 agencies and representing more than 1,800 advertisers. Centro's commitment to culture, innovation and great customer service has allowed it to receive many industry awards including Inc. 500, Red Herring 100 and Crain's Chicago Business Best Places to Work award. For more information, visit http://www.centro.net.

SOURCE Mercy Home for Boys & Girls