 |
For more than 100 years...
the Sisters have served in a
variety of educational, healthcare and social service
ministries primarily in North Carolina and the southeastern
part of the United States.
The
Sisters initially came to Belmont, NC, the site of their
Motherhouse, in 1892 to open Sacred Heart Academy, but
soon expanded their focus to include caring for the
sick. Responding to needs of their communities, in 1900,
the Sisters opened St. Joseph's Sanitarium in Asheville,
NC, and in 1906, Mercy General Hospital in Charlotte,
NC.
Eighty-nine
years later, Mercy Hospital had become Mercy Health
Services, a multi-site system of hospitals, physician
offices and outpatient services. In 1995, the Sisters
of Mercy decided to move beyond the direct provision
of acute health care services in addressing the needs
of the unserved and underserved. That year, Mercy Health
Services was sold for $115 million and the proceeds
from the divestiture were used by the Sisters to create
the Sisters of Mercy of North Carolina Foundation, Inc.
Three
years later, in 1998, St. Joseph's Hospital, which had
been converted to a general hospital in 1938, was sold
for $82 million. These funds were added to the Sisters
of Mercy of North Carolina Foundation's assets.
Continuing
to
Serve
Unmet
Needs
Just
as Mercy and St. Joseph's Hospitals opened their doors
to offer medical care in response to the needs of their
communities, the Foundation addresses unmet and underserved
needs. Grants are made to support the work of selected
non-profit 501(c)(3) healthcare, educational and social
service organizations which are located in the Metrolina
and Western North Carolina regions. The Foundation seeks
to assist projects which are designed to improve the
quality of life for women, children, the elderly and
those who are poor. Special attention will be focused
on promoting systemic change.
The
Sisters
of
Mercy
Regional
Community
The
Sisters
of
Mercy
of
North
Carolina
sponsor
a
number
of
ministries,
including
Sisters
of
Mercy
Services
in
Asheville,
Holy
Angels,
House
of
Mercy,
Catherine's
House
and
McAuley
Center
in
Belmont,
and
Well
of
Mercy
in
Hamptonville,
NC.
They
also
sponsor
Infant
of
Prague
Nursery
and
Mercy
Heights
Nursery
and
Kindergarten
on
the
island
of
Guam.
|
|
