A soft light from the classroom windows is cast on Gabriel’s face as he meditates, eyes closed, legs crossed, in the otherwise dim room. The only sound that breaks the quiet is the gentle voice of his teacher, Khavin Debbs, who instructs his young students to breathe deeply. Gabriel’s eyes remain fervently shut as he sits ramrod straight, concentrating on his meditation.

This serene picture is a far cry from the reality of Gabriel’s life outside class. The first grader is one of 15–35 students who each week day attend Mustard Seed School, a free, private school for homeless children on the Loaves & Fishes campus. For more than 20 years, Mustard Seed has provided a safe, nurturing and structured environment to children whose lives are otherwise unstable and often chaotic.

HorizonsM E R C Y F O U N D A T I O N

President’s message

It has been just a few months since I assumed leadership of Mercy Foundation, and each day I am reminded of how blessed I am to be associated with this organization and the profound works of the Sisters of Mercy.

Our health-care ministries, especially in the areas of cardiovascular, neurology, oncology and orthopedics, continue to grow and receive recognition. For instance, with the generous support of donors like Agnes Anderson, the Alex G. Spanos Heart & Vascular Center, now under construction at Mercy General Hospital, will enhance the nationally renowned cardiovascular care the hospital currently provides.

Additionally, the Mercy Multiple Sclerosis Center at Mercy San Juan Medical Center, part of the Mercy Neurological Institute of Greater Sacramento, was recently awarded designation by the National Multiple Sclerosis Society as a comprehensive center for MS care. Construction will soon begin on the Mercy Cancer Center, which will provide comprehensive oncology services with an emphasis on continuity of care and the emotional needs of patients and families. And Methodist Hospital of Sacramento has begun a new, minimally invasive knee procedure that offers pain relief, improved mobility and faster recovery time. Our

Continued on page 7

Guided by teacher Khavian Debbs, Mustard Seed School student Gabriel sits deep in the calming exercise of a morning meditation.

“We want to prevent kids from spending one day of ‘schoollessness’ while experiencing homelessness,” said director Angela Hassell. “We don’t want to see them out on the streets with their parents.”

Children and families receive practical support, such as assistance in entering or reentering schools, counseling, and food, clothing and shelter referrals. Life-saving medical and dental screenings and immunizations also are offered. An average stay is three to four weeks, with the ultimate goal of transitioning students to public school when their families’ living situation is stable.

Many children do not attend traditional school because of their homelessness or

Continued on page 2

Mustard Seed School: A nurturing education for homeless children

Inspiring Philanthropy. Changing Lives.

Spring 2011

Sister Libby Fernandez: Heeding a lifelong call to serve | 5

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Ministry NewsM E R C Y F O U N D A T I O N

Mustard Seed SchoolContinued from front page

because they lack immunizations, birth certificates and other documentation. Transportation issues and a simple lack of a support system are barriers for others. Students are typically referred by shelters, or through Maryhouse, a daytime shelter for women and their children at Loaves & Fishes. Others live in motels and are referred by two outreach coordinators who encourage families to enable their children to attend the school. Because the school teaches preschool through eighth grade, Mustard Seed partners with WIND Youth Services to refer high school-aged children to educational support.

The Montessori-based curriculum for preschool through fourth grade emphasizes the natural development of children while also nurturing their creativity, independence and problem-solving skills. This is especially important for homeless children, whose constantly changing situations can hinder the development of even simple skills like tying shoes. Teachers plan lessons that start and finish in one day, so no new children feel left out or left behind.

Beyond academics, Mustard Seed offers emotional support that often does not exist for homeless children among peers in the public school system. “Our kids sleep in cars or live in motels, and it’s difficult for them to be in public school as ‘the kid who didn’t shower,’” Angela noted. “They feel so different from the children who aren’t homeless.” Mustard Seed levels the playing field. “Kids feel the same here as the others attending with them,” Angela said. “They have similar experiences and can relate to one another.” What’s more, staff and volunteers understand and are prepared to address their unique situations. “No one is made to feel inadequate because they didn’t shower or eat that day.”

Some children can be especially exhausted because of their living situations. Mustard Seed provides a safe, comfortable place for them to nap in the afternoon. “Without our school, many kids would not have the luxury of a quiet place to sleep during the day. When you are three or four years old, your body really needs that option,” said teacher and Assistant Director Casey Knittel.

By nature of their circumstances, Mustard Seed’s students come and go, so it might seem challenging to measure the program’s precise impact on each child. While it might not be in black and white, staff sees positive effects day to day. Angela recalls a particularly disturbed teenage boy with a long

history of abuse who was consistently disruptive in the classroom. After trying all suggestions by the school counselor, finding things he enjoyed studying, and setting limits and boundaries, staff were still tested to the limit by the boy. They became somewhat discouraged because they did not see visible results in him.

They were surprised to learn the boy told his father that Mustard Seed was the only school he ever enjoyed attending. He even brought a friend to school with him because he felt she could also benefit from the program. These actions confirmed to staff that Mustard Seed positively affects each child in some way, visible or imperceptible.

How you can help

Charitable support from the community helps Mustard Seed School provide refuge and education to the many homeless children who visit each week. Cash donations, as well as in-kind gifts such as school supplies, healthy snacks and new children’s clothing, are welcome. Gift cards to Target, Costco, grocery and office supply stores also are needed to purchase food, clothing and classroom supplies. All-day bus passes are helpful for children who need assistance getting to school. If you would like to make a gift to support Mustard Seed School, contact Mercy Foundation at (916) 851–2700.

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“Something we did hit a chord inside him. Maybe it was that we did not give up on him and we kept working with him no matter what. Maybe he just needed a place to vent his frustrations about life,” Angela said. “For me, he is an example of the reason Mustard Seed exists: To provide a safe place for displaced children to find refuge, even if they cannot tell us with words that they are grateful for our efforts.”

Some former students return to share their gratitude. One young man who was a student on and off for three years recently graduated from high school and is planning to study engineering in college. He visits Mustard Seed as often as he can to volunteer. “He says he comes back to visit his ‘family’ here because we gave him so much support,” Angela said. “He credits his teachers at Mustard Seed for helping him believe in himself and for giving him the courage to pursue a college education.”

While that is the much hoped-for outcome for all students, Mustard Seed’s success can also be measured in far simpler ways. “Sometimes ‘success’ is getting a particularly stressed child to smile and find something he or she enjoys doing at school,” Angela said. And because many children take on the exhausting responsibility of acting as parents to their younger siblings— even to their own parents—sometimes success is just letting kids be kids within the safety of the school.

Mustard Seed has a large playground where kids can do just that. Before his classroom meditation, Gabriel let some steam off by running around the jungle gym with his classmates. Watching him and the other children, Angela noted: “Mustard Seed is a wonderful place for kids to unplug from the stressful world of homelessness and just be children.”

“My hope is that the children who come to Mustard Seed can feel how valuable they are. We try to build a safe, warm, consistent environment for kids who experience more than their fair share of instability and stress. I hope that each child feels a clear sense of belonging and respect.”

—Teacher and Assistant Director Casey Knittel

Mustard Seed School provides students with a welcoming and nurturing environment where they can unplug from the stressful world of homelessness and just be children.

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M E R C Y F O U N D A T I O NMinistry NewsAs the new Cristo Rey High School president, Sister Eileen Enright (with 2010 Methodist Hospital student scholarship winners) will help guide students toward success.

Cristo Rey High School Sacramento has appointed Sister Eileen Enright, RSM, as the school’s president.

A member of the Sisters of Mercy, one of the co-sponsors of Cristo Rey, Sr. Eileen will be the first member of a religious institute to serve as the school’s president since it opened its doors in 2006. She brings more than 40 years in church ministry and 25 years of education experience to Cristo Rey. Sr. Eileen has served as associate superintendent of catholic schools, vicar for pastoral ministry, and the chancellor of the Diocese of Sacramento. She is a member of several boards, including Mercy Foundation.

Cristo Rey welcomes Sister Eileen Enright as new president“Cristo Rey is experiencing an exciting transition as it nears its fifth anniversary next year,” said Terry Street, chairman of the Cristo Rey Board of Directors. “We’re moving from being a start-up school and, with our first graduates now in college, becoming an institution with a legacy in our community.”

Cristo Rey High School Sacramento is a private Catholic college preparatory school where students with limited means help finance their education through an innovative work-study program. The school is part of a network of private Catholic high schools across the country. Students work one day a week at local businesses to develop essential job skills and share the investment in their education. Ninety-three percent of students are currently in paying jobs.

Cristo Rey High School: Transforming lives

Cristo Rey’s goal is to break the cycle of poverty that challenges student lives and help them re-imagine themselves as successful and productive leaders who will benefit their families and the community. The school serves 240 motivated, hard-working students in grades nine through 12 from Sacramento, Yolo, Placer, San Joaquin and El Dorado counties. Cristo Rey plans to increase enrollment to 400 students within four years.

Cristo Rey is sponsored by the Sisters of Mercy West Midwest Community, the California Province of the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur, and the California Province of the Society of Jesus.

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Sister Libby Fernandez: Heeding a lifelong call to serve

It is winter’s first sunny day, and hundreds of people are out and about at Sacramento Loaves & Fishes, a refuge for homeless people seeking survival services. Amid the rattle of bikes, passing cars and lively conversations, calls of “Hi, Sister Libby!” and waves are plentiful as Executive Director Libby Fernandez makes her way about the campus, freely giving hugs and handshakes to all. Her smile warms the faces of those who have fallen on hard times.

Meeting one on one with guests is Sr. Libby’s favorite part of the day, and her face lights up each time she greets someone. Remarkably, she remembers the names, personal stories, future plans and progress of nearly all guests. “Serving the poor and homeless is my passion and is part of my values as a Sister of Mercy,” she said. “Every morning, I ask myself, ‘How am I being called to serve today?’”

The call to serve has been a life-long one, but Sr. Libby started her career in a far different world from the Sisters of Mercy. Inspired by her father’s military service, she enlisted in the Air Force with the goal of “committing life full-heartedly in service to my country.” She was part of the first class of women to be accepted into the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colo. “I wanted to be a ‘lifer’ in the military, and to fly jets,” she remembered. But soon after she joined the Academy she felt her heart shift focus and began to contemplate whether to commit her life to the military or to God. She chose the latter.

After leaving the Academy in 1985 and moving to Sacramento, where her parents lived, Sr. Libby immediately

The Sisters of Mercy

began volunteering at Loaves & Fishes. It was there that she connected for the first time with the Sisters of Mercy, who were among the first organizations to serve meals in the dining room.

Sr. Laura Ann Walton—founder of Maryhouse, Loaves & Fishes’ daytime women’s shelter—inspired Sr. Libby to pursue a graduate degree in social work. While attending classes at California State University, Sacramento, she connected with more Sisters and saw firsthand their ministries in the community. Just four months after graduation, Sr. Libby committed her life to God by entering into the Sisters of Mercy.

During her novitiate, Sr. Libby worked part time at Maryhouse and at St. Joseph’s Catholic School as a social worker. Later, she spent six years at Mercy Housing, and was the first property manager at Quinn Cottages in Sacramento. She joined Loaves & Fishes full time in 1999.

Sr. Libby’s community ministry extends beyond Loaves & Fishes. She serves on the board of the Rural California Housing Coalition, a branch of Mercy Housing. She also works with Mercy Associates and the Mercy Volunteer Corps volunteers who work at Maryhouse and Clean and Sober. Her tireless service has inspired countless people, including her parents, who have volunteered at Loaves & Fishes every week for many years.

Looking around at the guests in Friendship Park—a safe haven for the homeless while they access meals, health-care and other services— Sr. Libby reflected on her life commitment to God and to community service, both of which offer humbling rewards. “I love Loaves & Fishes’ mission, which is Matthew 25:40: ‘As often as you did it for one of my least brothers and sisters, you did it for me,’” she said. “I’ve been blessed to be graced by God’s calling.”

While the number of daily homeless guests at Sacramento Loaves & Fishes is the same as 20 years ago —between 600 and 1,000—Executive Director Sister Libby sees change. “Until recently, the homeless were largely without a voice. Today, they are more empowered to be part of the solution.”

M E R C Y F O U N D A T I O N

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Partners in PhilanthropyM E R C Y F O U N D A T I O N

Mercy Foundation planned giving seminars

Planned gifts, such as bequests and charitable remainder trusts, can help you increase your cash flow, earn valuable income-tax deductions, and reduce or eliminate estate taxes while also supporting the less fortunate in the community. Mercy Foundation hosts planned giving seminars throughout the year to educate the community about the many benefits of this type of charitable giving. The latest seminars, held in March, discussed the potential effect of the new 2010 tax legislation on estate giving. If you would like information on this topic, or if you would like more information about making an estate gift to Mercy Foundation, please contact Kevin Duggan, vice president of philanthropy, at (916) 851–2703 or Kevin.Duggan001@chw.edu. To sign up for an upcoming seminar, inquire about dates by e-mailing MercyFoundationSac@chw.edu.

Let us know!

If you have included Mercy Foundation in your estate plan, please let us know so we can thank you and recognize you with membership in Mercy Legacy Society. Members are invited to exclusive Foundation events, planned giving education sessions, tours and more.

Sisters of Mercy inspire philanthropyAgnes Anderson recalls many childhood trips from Oakland to Sacramento to visit her relatives, Sisters of Mercy Mary Agnes, for whom she was named, Mary Clare, and Mary Therese, who lived and worked at the hospital that would later become Mercy General.

Inspired during those visits by the Sisters who worked in the hospital’s pharmacy, Agnes pursued a pharmacy degree at UCSF and was among a small number of women in her graduating class. She met her late husband, Walter, in pharmacy school. After marrying, the couple moved in 1949 to Sacramento, where she, Walter, and his twin brother, Harold, opened Anderson Bros. pharmacy in Town and Country Village.

Agnes and her family have remained deeply connected to the Catholic community and the Sisters of Mercy since Agnes made her first trips to

Sacramento. “I have a passion for the Sisters of Mercy and for health care,” Agnes said, noting that “all 12 Andersons, including our grandchildren, were born at Mercy General Hospital.”

The Andersons have expressed their support through more than 20 years of generous philanthropy. Their gifts to Mercy Foundation—totaling nearly $900,000—helped to renovate the Sisters of Mercy Motherhouse in Auburn, Calif., and also will support construction of the new Alex G. Spanos Heart & Vascular Center at Mercy General Hospital.

“Agnes has a positive, can-do attitude,” said Sr. Bridget McCarthy, RSM, Mercy Foundation’s donor relations director. “Her energy is contagious! She demonstrates this in a splendid way through her generosity and support of the works of the Sisters, and for this we are truly grateful.”

Retired pharmacist Agnes Anderson (left, with Sr. Bridget McCarthy, RSM) and her late pharmacist husband, Walter (in photo), have been longtime Mercy Foundation and Sisters of Mercy supporters.

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President’s messageContinued from front page

hospitals continually strive to provide the finest care possible, and our donors are a key part of elevating Mercy’s services from good to great.

The impact of the Sisters of Mercy goes beyond health care. In this issue we feature the life-changing program at Mustard Seed School, a haven of safety and comfort for homeless children. And we highlight Sr. Libby Fernandez, whose energy and commitment to the community through Loaves & Fishes are truly inspirational. Continuing in the Sisters’ tradition of educating children, Sr. Eileen Enright has been appointed president of Cristo Rey High School, the landmark work-study program for underserved youth.

Finally, we are pleased to feature Mercy General employee Phil Leake, who participates in Mercy Foundation’s Employees Lend a Hand program. I ask that you join Phil, his colleagues, and the countless community members who help us provide comfort and hope to those in the community who need a hand.

Remember that every dollar donated to Mercy Foundation goes directly to Mercy programs and services, and we offer so many ways to give through direct or in-kind donations, or legacy gifts.

I hope you enjoy this issue of Horizons. Thank you for your continued partnership and support throughout 2011 and beyond.

Sincerely,

Linda Beech Cutler President and CEO

Phil Leake is one of Mercy General Hospital’s biggest champions for wellness. As program coordinator at the Preventive Health Center, Phil provides health evaluation, exercise, promotion and education services to inpatients, the community at large, and corporations. He conducts executive physicals and develops employee wellness programs for multiple organizations, including Mercy General, where he assisted in designing the hospital’s new employee gym and helped to organize its cycling club.

“My goal is to motivate people toward better health,” Phil said. That motivation has been instrumental in Mercy General’s winning the California Fit Business Award, a peer assessment of wellness programs across the state. The hospital has won two gold awards and one silver in the last four years with his help.

Phil, who has been with Mercy General since 1994, also is a champion for the Sisters of Mercy ministries, which he has

Mercy General employee Phil Leake, with patient Rita, is a track and field official, and was in charge of the award ceremony for both locally hosted Olympic trials. He will be the official’s coordinator at the upcoming World Masters Championships to be held at California State University, Sacramento this summer.

supported through Mercy Foundation’s Employees Lend a Hand program for several years. “I walk the floors at Mercy General every day—I was even hospitalized here for a few days last year—so I see firsthand how much we do and the quality of care we provide,” he said. “Age, occupation, religion, ethnicity—no matter who or what you are, Mercy takes care of you.”

Phil believes his charitable gifts to Mercy Foundation take care of the community. “I know my contribution is making a difference,” he said. “I see buildings like the Alex G. Spanos Heart & Vascular Center being constructed. I see people clothed, housed and fed. I see the hand of Mercy throughout the region.”

He brings the Sisters of Mercy values to his everyday work. “I believe in Mercy’s philosophy, and I hold myself to the same principles,” he said. “I treat everyone here like my mom.”

Employees Lend a Hand: Phil Leake

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Questions or comments about this newsletter? We welcome your feedback. Contact us at MercyFoundationSac@chw.edu or (916) 851–2700 to share your comments or sign up for an electronic version.

One MissionM A N Y M I N I S T R I E S

Officers

Garry P. Maisel, Chair

Michael T. Genovese, Vice Chair

William W. Yee, Secretary/Treasurer

Katherine Doyle, RSM, Sisters of Mercy West Midwest Community Representative

Timothy Moran, Sacramento Service Area President and Methodist Hospital of Sacramento President

Linda Beech Cutler, Mercy Foundation President and CEO

2010–11 Mercy Foundation Board of Trustees

Trustees

José Abad, M.D. Gil A. Albiani Stephen Bauer, M.D. Patrice N. Coyle Ken Crawford Cecilia M. Delury Cathleen M. Dougherty Eileen Enright, RSM Bob Flautt Joan Gann Lawrence B. Garcia Diane R. Grenz Jack M. Kimmel Mike Kimmel Sharon A. Margetts Tim Mickiewicz, DDS Alice D. Perez Mark Read Silvio Reggiardo Tim Rogers Elizabeth Leonard Schatz Alan Shatzel, D.O. Linda J. Van Rees Merrily F. Wong

Bruceville Terrace

Cristo Rey High School Sacramento

Mercy Beyond Borders

Mercy Center Auburn

Mercy Education Resource Center

Mercy Family Health Center

Mercy General Hospital

Mercy Hospice

Mercy Hospital of Folsom

Mercy Housing California

Mercy McMahon Terrace

Mercy San Juan Medical Center

Mercy Volunteer Corps

MercyClinic Folsom

MercyClinic Loaves & Fishes

MercyClinic North Highlands

MercyClinic Norwood

MercyClinic White Rock

Methodist Hospital of Sacramento

Sacramento Loaves & Fishes

Mercy Foundation raises funds for a broad variety of ministries within the Sacramento region, with one mission: To enhance the lives of people in the community. Whether your interest is in health care, housing, care for the poor, children or the elderly, Mercy Foundation can meet your philanthropic goals.

Our ministries: