November, 2018
Message from the President
“Speak up for people who cannot speak for themselves. Help people who are in trouble.
Stand up for what you know is right, and judge all people fairly.
Protect the rights of the poor and those who need help.”
Proverbs 31:8-9 (ERV)
Dear MERCY Ambassadors,
It is with great delight that I present to you the very first newsletter for MERCYworldwide, as part of our new MERCY 2.0 initiative. Denise and I are very excited with the overall growth of the organization over the past ten years, and we are eager to share with you our vision and plans for MERCY in the next few years to come.
MERCYworldwide (MERCY) is a global humanitarian 501c(3) non-profit organization that strives to Maximize the Efforts of an ever-growing base of dedicated, passionate and compassionate MERCY staff and volunteers (i.e. MERCY Ambassadors) to deliver high impact, transformational projects and programs that provide Relief and Care to the poor and needy with a special emphasis on Youth. Our mission is to deliver compassionate service that creates opportunities to transform the lives of those in greatest need around the world. Established in 2008, MERCY began with a small toy drive in which 150 toys were given to underprivileged children in the Los Angeles community. By 2009, a handful of MERCY Branches in the United States began what is now called the International Day of MERCY, a global day of service in the respective communities of each MERCY branch. Today, there are over 7,000 dedicated MERCY Ambassadors in over 90 MERCY Branches in 36 countries, on all six populated continents. MERCY has spearheaded over 700 projects over the years, ranging from home makeovers for cancer survivors to hosting carnivals for orphans.
With the immense growth and success of MERCY over the past ten years, we have decided to take the organization to the next level with our new MERCY 2.0 initiative. MERCY’s vision is to become the most respected humanitarian service organization in the world and MERCY 2.0 is our new branding and marketing initiative that aims to spread our message by better engaging our dedicated donor and volunteer base. As part of this initiative, we have created an updated and improved website which details our worldwide programs and projects. We will also be sending out quarterly MERCY newsletters, which will highlight special projects, organizational updates, and upcoming events. We are very excited for MERCY 2.0 and believe this initiative will allow MERCY to create a stronger presence in the humanitarian community.
We want to thank each and every one of you – the MERCY’s Board of Directors and every Branch Director, Coordinator, Ambassador, Partner, and Donor – for all your hard work and support of MERCY over the years as we strive to bring Jesus’ heart of compassion to our local communities. MERCY would not be where it is today with your support.
Sincerely,
Nick Bordieri, President, MERCYworldwide
MERCY Director Profile
Josiah and Kristen Smith – Los Angeles, CA
“Why MERCY? Because there’s a need–a dire need. And we can’t turn a blind eye to that. We believe it’s our duty to help.” Josiah Smith, Director, MERCYworldwide Los Angeles
We are very excited to announce that Josiah and Kristen Smith are the new Directors of MERCYworldwide Los Angeles (MERCY LA), overseeing 12 regions spanning greater Los Angeles with over 900 ambassadors. The Smiths are a dynamic couple with the aspiration to utilize their resources in mainstream media to capitalize on its potential to serve the greater Los Angeles community and expand MERCY’s message throughout LA. READ MORE
Chhem MERCY Orphanage
“Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.” (James 1:27)
Greetings from Phnom Pehn, Cambodia!! Denise and I are very excited about our newest and first signature MERCY program, the Chhem MERCY Orphanage, here in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. We have a great vision for the orphanage and the 58 children that reside here. Since arriving early September to lead the orphanage we have made considerable progress in improving the living conditions for the children while solidifying plans for long-term growth and development of the orphanage and the children.
Cambodia is a very beautiful country, rich with culture and history. Phnom Penh, the country’s capital, is the most populous city in Cambodia and was once known as the “Pearl of Asia” due to its vibrant, French-influenced architecture, which still attracts tourists from all over the world. However, by 1975, the country would undergo a ruthless and brutal four-year long regime under the dictatorship of Pol Pot, a Communist revolutionary and political leader. During his regime, approximately two million of the 8 million people of Cambodia were tortured and executed. This included the country’s intelligentsia–teachers, doctors, lawyers, and government officials.
During this horrific regime, many children were separated from their parents, leaving them as orphans. It is with this history that General Chhim Chhem, a one-star General in charge of Cambodia’s Military Police and an orphan from the Pol Pot regime, founded the Chhem MERCY Orphanage.
The Signing of the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) marked the new partnership between the Cambodia Social Welfare Mission (CSW) and MERCYworldwide.
The MOU was signed by General Chhim Chhem (General Secretary of the Cambodia Social Welfare Mission) and Kip McKean (Chairman of the Board of MERCYworldwide) and Ney Sakal (Secretary Director of the Cambodia Social Welfare Mission and the Secretary of Finance of Cambodia) and Nick Bordieri (President of MERCYworldwide).
Denise and I have set our hearts and minds to solidify the partnership with General Chhem and the CSW Board, to develop a rapport with the staff, to build relationships with all 58 kids at the orphanage, and to set the direction for the orphanage moving forward. Along with Tieng Saman, the Executive Director and overseer of the daily administration of the orphanage, we have established three key pillars of development for the children in the orphanage, which will also serve as the orphanage’s foundation:
Group photo after the signing with the MERCY representatives, CSW board, honored guests, and some of the children.
Education: As part of our Education pillar, we are currently working on our “Champion a Child” campaign, a scholarship program for the High School and University students in the orphanage. All donations received specifically for this campaign will go towards tutoring and educational support for the High School students and a scholarship fund for the University students. The funds will also be used to support additional schooling costs, including school supplies, school uniforms, and food.
Establishing boundaries by setting rules in the orphanage and calling the older boys to set a good example for the rest of the kids.
Health: Within our Health pillar, we have already launched an initiative that we call the “Clean and Green Initiative”, a mindset-based initiative focused on sanitation and hygiene. It is through this initiative that we want to beautify the orphanage grounds, improve the living conditions, and raise the standards of cleanliness and hygiene. We have already completed a number of organizational and gardening projects around the orphanage, and our next big project is the reconstruction and rebuilding of the bathrooms in the boy’s dormitory. The new bathroom plan includes all new plumbing, ten new toilets, ten new showers, six urinals, and two long community sinks made from cement. Once the bathrooms are completed, the next phases focus on other areas of the orphanage, including the construction of a reading room and lounge area for the children, a playground for the younger kids, and an all-purpose field for sports and outdoor activities.
Location of the all-purpose field.
The critical next phase of construction will replace the boys bathrooms.
Character:
Like the other High School and University students, Oudom, has dreams. A 3rd-year university student aspires to be a teacher. He is tutoring high school students in the orphanage to help prepare them for the all-important University entrance exams. We established the Champion a Child scholarship program to assist him and the other university students pay tuition, books and suppliers and the High School students with tutoring costs.
We are especially grateful for the generosity of everyone who has donated to support these various projects and help us lay a solid foundation for the orphanage based on these three pillars. We are particularly grateful for the generous, $25,000 donation from the Sharon Wong Foundation, which will fund the reconstruction and rebuilding of the boy’s bathroom. We are very excited for the kids and what’s in store for the orphanage in the next 6-12 months. It is our vision and hope that, within the next 3 years, the Chhem MERCY Orphanage will accommodate 100 orphans!
Giving Tuesday
#GivingTuesday is right around the corner. This is a huge giving moment and we need your help to provide scholarships to youth in the MERCY-Chhem Orphanage.
Facebook is partnering with PayPal to match donations a total of up to $7 million to U.S. nonprofits on Facebook, Thank you for your support!
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News
California Wildfires
We hope that everyone’s family, friends, and loved ones are all safe and accounted for in California, and our thoughts and prayers are with everyone. The past two weeks have proven to be quite challenging for many California residents, as wildfires throughout the state have not only displaced many residents but have resulted in very unhealthy, nearly hazardous air quality in surrounding areas. Since November 8, 2018, a total of 250,393 acres have burned in Butte, Solano, Ventura, and Los Angeles counties, and the smoke from these fires has reached areas over 200 miles away.
MERCYworldwide is committed to helping those affected by the fires and working in partnership with organizations such as the American Red Cross to make an impact. In Los Angeles, MERCY ambassadors, led by Branch Director, Josiah Smith, worked in partnership with the Red Cross to put together 500 Relief Kits! Check out his video from the event:
WATCH | MERCY Ambassadors answer the call in California.
Upcoming Events
2018 MERCY International Toy Drive – December 30th
In its 10th year, the MERCY International Toy Drive is an opportunity for MERCY branches around the world to provide toys for children in need during the holidays. Please see your branch director for more information and details for how you can help the children in your community.
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