Our MFA Benefit is ready and waiting for your help! As we all know, volunteering with other Misericordia family members is a great way to get to know one another.
There are volunteer positions for everyone! A few times are available prior to the event (June 23 and June 24); however, most positions are on the day of the event, June 25. (Please note that if volunteering during the event, purchasing a ticket is required.)
There are many slots to fill, so we need many volunteers to ensure the Benefit is successful.
Please click here for details and to sign up!
Thanks so much!
Merrily Smith
Volunteer Chair
Misericordia's fourth State of the State for Employees took place on Wednesday, April 15. Multiple sessions were offered to ensure employees across all shifts had an opportunity to participate. The employees heard from Fr. Jack and some of the senior leaders about the projects underway to help employees and the organization work smarter, not harder.
Click here to access and view this video presentation.
April 2026Campus Connections is a monthly publication for Misericordia Staff. BUT, it’s chock-full of features of interest to our families: meet the staff, see our new residents, and learn about the great things happening behind the scenes at Mis!
Click on the down arrow next to Misericordia Info in the menu bar at the top of the page and then click on Campus Connections to see the current and past editions.
Due to a policy change, we are now allowing only MFA Members (parents/guardians) to register for the mfa-sibs.org website. But no worries! There is a lot of information and great articles available for friends, family, siblings, residents, and Misericordia staff to see without having an account to log in to. The other information that appears after logging in pertains only to MFA Members.
And a note to account holders, please DO NOT download the MFA Directory or share any of the information in it!
I am in the process of cleaning up the current database of users by deleting inactive accounts (anyone who hasn’t logged in since before the beginning of 2021) and some other non-MFA member accounts. So, if you try to log in and find your account gone, simply click on New Member Registration and register again.
by Barb Quaintance
“It’s a story of love.” That’s how Emad Garibovic describes his family’s experience with Misericordia. And such a beautiful story it is.
Emad came to the United States from Bosnia. Shortly thereafter, he moved to Rogers Park, just a few blocks from Misericordia. He often came to campus to think and reflect—and he took walks there with his daughters, Dzenana and Hana. Emad believes many things led him to Misericordia. His neighbor, Marge Murphy, was a longtime Misericordia employee and encouraged him to apply for a job there. A few years later, Emad began working at Misericordia and, 23 years later, is the Director of Housekeeping & Laundry.
Emad and his wife, Senita, welcomed their second daughter, Hana, twenty-seven years ago. At eighteen months old, Hana was diagnosed with cerebral palsy and developmental delays. Emad and Senita did everything they could to care for Hana and meet all her needs. That included Hana attending the Northside Learning Center and, for many years, the day program at Misericordia. Meanwhile, their other daughter, Dzenana (Sivac), became a Mis employee, working at the Village and McAuley.
Misericordia’s Jean Marie Ryan Center was packed with the great energy of our MFA families at the “Collection Sunday” MFA meeting last Sunday. 400 were in attendance, representing over 250 families.
The MFA membership enjoyed a beautiful day together as we attended Mass before the meeting, welcomed many new folks, elected new MFA board members, heard moving remarks from long-time families and the president of the SIBS organization, received updates from Father Jack and Kevin Connelly, feasted on Superdawgs hot dogs, and GOT EXCITED about the 66th annual MFA Benefit coming to Soldier Field on June 25th.
It truly was a family celebration, and we hope those of you who weren’t there will make it a priority to attend our next General Meeting on October 18th. The circle isn’t complete without you!
by Barb Quaintance
We all vividly remember the day our family member became a Misericordia resident, even if that was many years ago. It was likely marked by some combination of joy, excitement, sadness, and trepidation. The following weeks were also emotional: helping our child navigate this huge transition, learning about all the staff involved in our child’s care, and understanding the expectations of being a member of the Misericordia community. We looked to the staff to give us all the “facts”, but we might have felt like we needed a sherpa to help navigate this new and sometimes overwhelming situation. That’s where the Misericordia Family Association (MFA) comes in.
The MFA is the membership organization for parents/guardians of residents at Misericordia; in fact, families automatically become members when their family member is admitted to Misericordia. It’s the MFA's goal to welcome new families—parents and siblings—and to provide support over the years.
by Barb Quaintance
It’s not easy to start a new job. Even with good orientation and training, it’s very different once you are in the job. There’s a need to become competent in the necessary skills. There’s learning the culture of an organization. There’s understanding what to do when things don’t go according to plan. That’s where the Misericordia Lead Job Coaches (LJC) come in: they partner with new staff in their residential area to support them throughout their first year on the job.
Who are the Lead Job Coaches—and how do you become an LJC? A Direct Support Professional (DSP) who is recognized by their supervisor for their excellence and confidence in their job is referred to Human Resources. The DSP then applies when the LJC position is posted in their area. The area ultimately decides if they will be selected for their new role. When a DSP is chosen, they attend a two-day HR training session where they learn to use their leadership skills to support new hires. They also work with HR throughout the year to hone their skills. Typically, a new hire will shadow an LJC for two weeks, observing how they perform specific tasks and interact with residents. The LJC is available to the new staff for their entire first year at Misericordia.
The April MFA General Membership Meeting is an in-person event for families to engage with our Misericordia community. By attending, you'll learn about new initiatives, supportive resources, and feel that great sense of belonging!
We will be taking attendance of MFA members. Please remember to sign in at your Site table when you arrive.
We are providing two options to make attendance easier:
Mass in the Chapel at 9:30 am.
A rideshare program for those in need of transportation. WOULD YOU LIKE A RIDE? Contact David Brennan at
WHEN? Sunday, April 12th
WHERE? Misericordia’s Jean Marie Ryan Center
WHAT’S HAPPENING?
9:30 Mass in the Chapel - Click HERE to RSVP for Mass attendance.
10:00 Check in/Attendance
Benefit Collections/Purchases - Benefit Book/Sponsorship Deadline, Gift Card Collection, Raffles, Giving Tree, Coffee and Bakery Sales.
11:00 MFA General Meeting
Election of new MFA Board Members, Click HERE for the Slate of Candidates, Benefit updates, News from Senior Staff, Father Jack’s remarks.
THERE’S MORE!!
12:00 Social time: beer, wine, soft drinks, and award-winning SUPERDAWG'S hot dogs and fries.
Although Misericordia’s Dental Clinic is staffed by highly skilled and compassionate professionals, it has been challenging to keep up with cleanings and treatments for the current residents attending the dental clinic. From a compliance standpoint, we meet the requirement of annual cleanings; however, the recommended standard of care is every six months. At this time, the clinic is not able to provide cleanings twice per year and cannot accept new residents.
Some parents have asked about dental providers outside of Misericordia with whom families have had positive experiences. If you work with a dentist you trust who serves your family member well, we would greatly appreciate your sharing that information. We will compile the contacts and share them with the MFA.
Please include the following details:
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