VISION FOR THE MERCY CENTER:
We foresee the Mercy Center assisting any homeless or low-income individual or family in need to end or prevent homelessness.  In addition to the services provided by Mercy Ministries; we would make the property available to any non-profit providing services for the homeless and low income individuals and families.
 
      We would envision:

• Case workers to do intake and case management plans to provide whatever services needed by the homeless and low-income individuals and families using the Center.
• A medical clinic to handle medical problems;
• An on-site psychiatric evaluation and referral clinic
• Day and night shelter for any homeless individual (men, women, families).  Shelter would be provided until such time as adequate housing arrangements could be made;
• A 24 hour children’s day care for working low-income mothers;
• A recreational facility for children to provide activities to keep them busy and off the streets when not in school;
• A sheltered type training and employment center for those that can be trained to compete in mainstream employment or permanent employment for those that cannot compete in competitive employment.
• Transitional Housing with work training
• Educational Center to teach literacy, prepare for GEDs, provide health and nutrition information.
• Thrift Shop to receive donations of clothing, furniture, and etc. which would be given at no cost to the people moving from homelessness to their own home.  The overflow items would be sold and the funds used to provide services.

We realize that Mercy Ministries could not run and operate all of these facilities.  It is our plan that we would coordinate all agencies wishing to use the space and provide the services.  The space would be provided to agencies at no cost except for actual expenses of operating their part of the facility.
     The “big” dream will take years to bring into being, but immediately:

• Our case management staff would move to the Center to begin interviewing and developing plans to improve the lives of and end the homelessness of these individuals and families. We would provide payment for clinic visits, medication, IDs, uniforms and equipment for jobs.
• We would immediately move our Thrift Store to provide furniture, clothing, and household goods at no cost to homeless and low income individuals and families.  We sell the overflow items and the money is used to pay for our overhaed expenses and provide services: such as medical visits and medication, state IDs, background checks for employment, uniforms and equipment for work. 
• The warehouse space would be used to receive, process, and store all donations.
• We would immediately open food pantry on-site to provide food for the needy.  We would utilize the food we obtain from our partnership with Golden Harvest Food Bank, and donations from individuals and grocery stores.
• The facility is across the street from one and very near two other low-income, public housing projects.  Our plan would be to begin immediately an after-school program for the children in the housing projects and neighborhood.  We would merge these children into all of the special activities that we are providing in other neighborhoods.  Our hope would be that by reaching the children we would prevent the very problems that cause homelessness (such as lack of education; lack of adult mentoring; and lack of alternative activities to discourage gangs, drugs, and other bad influences)