by Linda Buchalo
Today’s article focuses on the second Community of Believers core value: Connection.
The Community of Believers document summarizes this core value as follows: We value relationships, connecting to our residents and to one another with a caring heart. Our residents are valued for who they are, and we seek to connect to that loving person within them. We connect to our co-workers as well, honoring each other.
The general atmosphere is one of friendliness, and this is evident as you stroll through the campus, take an official tour, or attend one of the many activities taking place. Residents and staff greet each other by name, and it’s amazing to realize that staff from all over the campus are familiar with so many of the residents. Likewise, residents know many of the staff. Indeed, life at Misericordia provides our family members with the connections that most of us take for granted in our own communities. The integrated setting provides this common dimension that is often missing in the lives of people with disabilities.
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Benefit volunteers still needed! Greatest needs: Unloading trucks, Paddle Raise, GiveSmart assistants and Take down
Click here to sign up to volunteer!!
Starting on 6/10, Misericordia will be at a new Tuesday farmers market in the River North neighborhood! This will be different from our usual markets, as we will be selling a wide mix of bakery and other items not usually sold at our other markets or online. If you find yourself downtown on a Tuesday, stop by our market located at 330 N Wabash Avenue, which is right along the river and just a block east of the Marina Towers.
To accomplish this, we require volunteer support!
We have a lead volunteer who will be in place each week, and supplemental people are needed to help sell and restock items. We are hoping to expand the number of markets we attend in the coming years, and this is a great opportunity to learn about this growing volunteer need supporting the Misericordia micro-businesses.
Click here to read the May 2025 issue of Campus Connections.
Stay up-to-date with all of the information, training, and support that Misericordia provides to our wonderful staff! Everyone will benefit from reading Campus Connections!
To view previous Campus Connections click on Misericordia Info in the menu bar at the top of the page, and then click on Campus Connections.
During June, Misericordia is recognizing IT, Purchasing & Receiving, Business Office, and Development/PR/Volunteer Office. There will be an appreciation luncheon on Thursday, June 12th, for the staff in these departments.
Information Technology (IT) supports Misericordia staff with their computer and technology needs. In addition to day-to-day computer support, IT has completed a number of initiatives, including campus-wide Wi-Fi, a visitor tracking system, an IT Helpdesk , and the resident care system (AWARDS).
Purchasing & Receiving order supplies for the campus, including diapers, wipes, cleaning, office, and PPE supplies, which they deliver to all residential and administrative departments. They also handle deliveries to campus.
by Linda Buchalo
This article begins an in-depth exploration of each of the core values that make up the Misericordia Community of Believers. Today we focus on the first core value: Quality of Life.
The Community of Believers document summarizes this core value as follows: We value excellence and strive for it in all we do. Each of our residents is a valued person and deserves a worthwhile, quality life. Our staff creates and maintains a professional workplace, which benefits them and provides the residents with a positive environment in which to live. We are committed to this goal.
by Kathryn Moery
You may be familiar with the term DSP, or Direct Service Professional, but what exactly is a BSP? Far from being a typo, a Behavior Support Personnel (BSP) is a specially trained staff member whose role is to help individuals engage more successfully with their environment. BSPs provide targeted support that enables residents to participate more fully in daily life and activities.
To become a BSP, individuals must first complete certification as a Direct Service Professional (DSP). This foundational training covers essential areas, including safety care, verbal de-escalation, physical management, and proactive intervention techniques.
Misericordia will be celebrating Nurses’ Week from May 5 – 9. The nursing staff includes:
Nurses/Nurse Practitioners/Nursing Secretaries who manage the day-to-day health of the residents and provide campus-wide care 24/7, 365 days a year. There are over 140 nurses, including LPNs (Licensed Practical Nurses), RNs (Registered Nurses) and BSNs (Bachelor of Science in Nursing).
We are asking that families write notes of thanks and appreciation to the staff and email them to
Please note:
Heart & Soil, our new composting and employment opportunity program, is operated by Misericordia residents alongside their dedicated staff. The composting team has launched their services to the Misericordia community.
Please note, the program is currently operating in a limited radius and participation eligibility is limited by how much ground they can cover per day. People can share their info on the initial sign-up form to help the program determine if they are within our operation radius. They plan to expand that radius as they grow and more sign-ups outside of their current radius will help determine potential expansion.
Thank you again to the more than 400 families and friends of Misericordia who set up a 2025 giving page and to the hundreds who collected donations in their communities. We continue to see an outpouring of support – having received more than 9,000 online donations – and are so grateful.
If you have not had a chance to set up your giving page or have not emailed your page out to all your friends and family, there is still time. We will keep our Candy Days Giving Site open until July 1. For instructions on how to set up your page, please visit:
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