Three sister organizations begin annual tradition to spread mercy in the Cedar Rapids community

Sister organizations Mercy Medical Center, Mount Mercy University and the Catherine McAuley Center are embarking on a new tradition to continue spreading mercy in our community. Circle the City with Mercy is a one-day community service project with volunteers from each organization coming together on Friday, July 20, near the anniversary date marking when the Sisters of Mercy arrived in Cedar Rapids in July 1875.

With this new tradition, Circle the City with Mercy partners will look for a unique community service project each year to demonstrate their ongoing commitment to the community.

This year, the three organizations will be working with Sleep in Heavenly Peace, an organization that builds, delivers and dresses out beds for children ages 3 to 17 who do not have one in their current living situation. 

“We feel blessed to be the first recipients of this community service project,” said Gretchen Holley with Sleep in Heavenly Peace: Cedar Rapids-Marion chapter.  “Thanks to this volunteer effort, we will be forty beds closer to ensuring that, ‘No kid sleeps on the floor in our town,’ which is our organization’s mission statement.”

Sixty Circle the City with Mercy volunteers will build 40 beds starting at 8:30 a.m. on July 20. The service work takes place at a warehouse located at 999 35th St., Marion.

Leaders from the three Mercy organizations will speak about the legacy of the Sisters of Mercy during a brief program at 11:30 a.m.

Questions about Circle the City with Mercy may be directed to Amanda Mayotte at (319) 640-2097 or Kelsey Steines at (319) 731-0448. Inquiries about Sleep in Heavenly Peace may be directed to Gretchen Holley at (319) 784-7362.