“Everything good, everything magical happens between the months of June and August.” – Jenny Han

Mercy Housing Southeast (MHSE) 

Thanks to the city of Savannah, 25 kids at Savannah Gardens Apartments attended Camp Mercy over the summer. This six-week day camp included outdoor sports and science and sprinkled in a lot of fun.

The kids showed up every day full of energy and curiosity as they learned how to build both battery-operated and solar robots, volcanos, and elephant toothpaste. They also learned how to make ice cream in a bag, satisfying those suffering from a sweet tooth.

But that wasn’t all. Kids also got in plenty of exercise through soccer, basketball, softball, and volleyball and then cooled off as they ran through the sprinklers at the end of every day.

The kids from Savannah Gardens also went on three field trips over the summer:

1. Savannah Children’s Museum – enjoyed hands-on activities, including completing a Mad Scientist Experiment.
2. Oatland Wildlife Center – the kids had the opportunity to learn and touch many animals local to the Savannah area. Don’t worry, parents – the animals all stayed behind at the end of the day.
3. Star Castle Entertainment Center – on the last day of camp, staff took the kiddos to an amazing entertainment center, where they laced up their roller skates, played video games, and took advantage of a state-of-the-art laser tag area.

Mercy Housing California (MHC)

Meanwhile, for 250 children living in Mercy Housing California properties, Camp Mercy was extended by two weeks at the request of the campers! Free to young residents, Camp Mercy was offered at all MHC family communities and included activities focusing on the mind, body, and soul.

“Namaste” was the word of the day for kids who participated in yoga. And for those kids who love hands-on learning, cool science experiments were on the agenda. What about kids who are full of creativity? Look no further than using those creative minds to create tie-dye projects. Not to be left out, future athletes had a ball playing, well, dodgeball!

As Albert Mendez, Resident Services Coordinator, described, “Every day we had camp, you could hear the laughs and screams coming out of the community room door. I know that they truly enjoyed it.”

Mercy Housing Lakefront (MHL)

And for Mercy Housing Lakefront’s Batavia Apartments, youth, art, and food were the main courses on their summer menu.

From learning how to create dimensional art with salt and watercolors to exploring different art mediums such as air-drying clay (thank you, Chip IN Batavia, for your donation), kids took their artistic skills to a new level. Did you know that you can create clay sculptures without needing a kiln to dry them? Each child received clay packets to continue exploring sculpting at home.

You never know who the next master chef in the kitchen might be, but thanks to the University of Illinois’ Jr. Chef program, these teens are well on their way. This year-round partnership offers Batavia Apartment youth the opportunity to learn essential cooking skills, including food safety, mixing techniques, and more. They are also introduced to different fruits, vegetables, and grains, leaving with new healthy recipes they can try at home.

One day was even devoted to learning about germs using a black light!

A Memorable Summer

As the sun sets on another summer, Mercy Housing would like to thank all our community partners who helped make the summer of 2022 a memorable and fun one for residents and staff. We are already looking forward to next year.