2019
Mercy Housing
Annual Report
family
As 2019 drew to a close, we found ourselves reflecting on a year of strategic planning. I am struck by the clear vision that emerged from the focused process – resident impact, our North Star. It has been affirming for me that this new plan is an evolution that focuses on our roots. Access to stable homes as a platform while focused on opportunities for residents has always set us apart.
hope
Paradise Lost, Then Found
"The embers were falling… I looked outside and it was just black, it was so dark… and then I looked across the road and the fire was already hitting the houses right across the street from me,” Brent recalls of the morning when flames enveloped his Paradise, CA home. Smoke was first reported around 6:30 a.m., and in less than two hours, the blaze was devouring Paradise, taking 86 lives and 14,000 residences in what has come to be known as the Camp Fire. Brent had been living there since 2014 and was 61 years old, retired, and coping with a recent multiple sclerosis diagnosis.
Brent speaks fondly of his early life, remembering how he moved to Hawaii when he was just 18 years old, pulled by his love of surfing. He returned to California to take care of his ailing father, and then mother when she was battling cancer. Brent was fond of Paradise, it was home, but the Camp Fire turned those fond memories to ash.
impact
Employees Across the Country
1,593
Residents Healing Residents
Mercy Housing Lakefront launched an innovative Community Health Worker Program where case managers support residents to manage their own health through efficacy — four of these case managers are Mercy Housing residents, offering a powerful peer-led experience and 33 residents have reported positive changes in their health.
Home, Casa, Nyumbani, Accueil
Students can stay connected and work on homework with the latest technology thanks to National Real Estate Practice of EPIC Insurance Brokers & Consultants. For the fifth year in a row, they have made a donation to support resident programming — this year donating Chromebooks with essential software.
Building Hope with Homes
We opened five new communities that offer 396 homes and rehabilitated five communities with 598 homes. That means that more families, seniors, veterans, and people with special needs will have a place to thrive.
6.5 YEARS
Average length of residency
$16,896
Average annual household income
Resident
Demographics
Properties offer resident services programs to help people build better lives
2,000
15,000
Residents logged more than
volunteer hours at 142 properties
Mercy Housing provided over
626,000
services to more than
23,000
residents
In pursuit of our goals of reducing consumption of natural resources, we:
Reduced energy use by
service
residents received food assistance through food pantries, meal delivery, summer lunch programs, and more
We helped more than
1,000
households sign up for SNAP benefits, doubling our goal
11,000
1,500,000 lbs
We distributed over
of food, exceeding our goal by more than three times
community
Opportunity Knocked, Residents Answered
Mercy Housing asked a community in Seattle, WA, how can we support families in the community? We listened, and together, we created Mercy Magnuson Place. Families earning low incomes wanted opportunity, the same opportunities that we all need to be successful and healthy — stable housing, education, and healthcare — the pillars of vibrant communities.
Nestled in one of Seattle’s largest parks, Mercy Magnuson Place is a 148-home community that opened in the spring of 2019. Our nonprofit partners are helping us to offer more than a place to live; it’s a place to thrive, a place to call home. Denise Louie Education Center offers six classrooms onsite for children and parents to access childcare, while Neighborcare Health teaches health education and preventative care. The Nomi B Community Room (named in honor of the Brettler family) has innovative Out-of-School Time programs, financial well-being workshops, health and wellness classes, and community activities. Resident families are close to walking trails, athletic fields, playgrounds, and Lake Washington’s beaches, but converting barracks into family homes wasn’t a walk in the park.
Thank you for your support
Our donors and partners are committed to creating affordable homes and inspiring dreams, as we continue our important work of serving the most vulnerable families and seniors. As we enter a new fiscal year, our services are needed now, more than ever, to meet the growing needs of people of all ages across the country.