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Mercy Center Inc

EIN 13-3865634 · Bronx, NY

Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood81 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

MERCY CENTER CREATES OPPORTUNITIES FOR WOMEN, MEN AND FAMILIES IN THE SOUTH BRONX TO GROW AND THRIVE THROUGH EDUCATION, FAMILY, CIVIC, SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC PROGRAMS. WE BUILD COMMUNITY WITH A SPIRIT OF HOSPITALITY, RESPECT AND EQUITY IN THE TRADITION OF THE SISTERS OF MERCY. FOR 33 YEARS, MERCY CENTER HAS BEEN A TRUSTED RESOURCE FOR RESIDENTS OF THE SOUTH BRONX, ESPECIALLY IMMIGRANTS. OUR INTEGRATED AND HOLISTIC SERVICES FALL INTO SIX OVERALL PROGRAM AREAS: 1. ADULT EDUCATION AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT PROVIDES PARTICIPANTS WITH AN INTEGRATED APPROACH TO LANGUAGE ACQUISITION, BASIC ADULT EDUCATION, SKILLS BUILDING AND JOB READINESS. SERVICES INCLUDE CLASSES IN ENGLISH FOR SPEAKERS OF OTHER LANGUAGES, ONLINE LEARNING, WORK READINESS WORKSHOPS, AND ONE-ON-ONE JOB COACHING, INCLUDING HELP WITH RESUMES, JOB SEARCHES, APPLICATIONS, AND INTERVIEW PREPARATION; 2. IMMIGRATION AND ASYLUM SEEKER SERVICES OFFERS IMMIGRANTS HELP WITH IMMIGRATION APPLICATIONS INCLUDING CITIZENSHIP, GREEN CARD, DEFERR

Income
$5.6 million
Spending
$4.9 million
Spent on programs
83%
Reserves
4.1 months of spending
Largest source of income
government grants, 52%
Employees
62
Volunteers
110
Highest pay
$184,121, executive dir.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Good: 81 out of 100. Higher than 57% of charities in its peer group (recreation and sports, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    20 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 4.1 months of spending.

  • Debt

    16 of 20

    It owes 22% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 11% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 34% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    83% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 11 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Governance

Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 82% of charities in its peer group (recreation and sports, $1m to $10m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    18 of 18 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    15 of 15

    Has a written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    8 of 8

    Has a written whistleblower policy.

  • Record keeping policy

    7 of 7

    Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.

  • Board minutes

    5 of 5

    Keeps minutes of board meetings.

  • Board sees the tax return

    10 of 10

    Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.

  • Pay set independently

    5 of 5

    Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.

  • Independent check of accounts

    15 of 15

    Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.

  • No reported misuse

    10 of 10

    Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Impact evidence

Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.

Programs described in its return (4)
  1. $2.8 million spent. ADULT EDUCATION AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT/IMMIGRANT SERVICES - THESE PROGRAMS ACHIEVED STRONG RESULTS IN FISCAL YEAR 2025. WE ENROLLED 1,580 STUDENTS IN OUR ENGLISH FOR SPEAKERS OF OTHER LANGUAGES (ESOL) CLASSES, 1,316 COMPLETED ONE, TWO OR THREE CYCLES, AND 99% WERE PROMOTED TO THE NEXT LEVEL. ALSO, WE CONTINUED TO OFFER TWO CONTEXTUALIZED LEARNING ESOL CLASSES FOR HOSPITALITY WORKERS AND ONE FOR HEALTHCARE WORKERS. WE CONTINUED TO INTEGRATE AN ONLINE LEARNING COMPONENT INTO EVERY ESOL CLASS. 392 PARTICIPANTS RECEIVED INDIVIDUALIZED JOB COACHING. IN FY25, OUR IMMIGRANT SERVICES PROGRAM SUBMITTED A TOTAL OF 116 CITIZENSHIP APPLICATIONS, 32 DACA RENEWAL APPLICATIONS, 52 GREEN CARD RENEWAL APPLICATIONS 359 ASYLUM APPLICATIONS, AND 959 EMPLOYMENT AUTHORIZATION APPLICATONS. STAFF PROVIDED REMOVAL RELATED ADVOCACY FOR 36 INDIVIDUALS. OVERALL, STAFF PROVIDED 2,126 LEGAL CONSULTATIONS ABOUT A VARIETY OF IMMIGRATION LEGAL ISSUES. 74 STUDENTS COMPLETED CITIZENSHIP EXAM PREPARATION CLASSES. THE UNIT ALSO PROVIDED CASE MANAGEMENT FOR 962 RECENTLY-ARRIVED MIGRANTS.
  2. $904,938 spent. FAMILIA ADELANTE (FAMILY FORWARD)/ FAMILY SKILLS/ SOCIAL SERVICES IS A GROUP OF PROGRAMS THAT AIMS TO STRENGTHEN FAMILY FUNCTIONING AND HELP PARTICIPANTS TO NAVIGATE SYSTEMS AND RESOLVE PROBLEMS. IN FY25, 184 PARTICIPANTS ENROLLED AND 118 COMPLETED ONE OR MORE OF OUR PARENTING SKILLS CLASSES/ACTIVITIES: PARENTING (ENGLISH), PARENTING (SPANISH), ABRIENDO PUERTAS (FOR LATINO PARENTS OF YOUNG CHILDREN), ANGER MANAGEMENT (SPANISH) AND MOM'S SUPPORT GROUP. IN FY25, WE COMPLETED THE EIGHTH FULL YEAR OF OUR COLLABORATIVE 'WHOLEFAMILY APPROACH' PROGRAM, FAMILIA ADELANTE (FAMILY FORWARD), IN PARTNERSHIP WITH FIVER CHILDREN'S FOUNDATION, QUALITAS OF LIFE FOUNDATION, AND MINDFULNESS PRACTITIONER MARITZA PUELLO. DURING FY25, 105 FAMILIES PARTICIPATED IN ACTIVE CASE MANAGEMENT. 38 FAMILIES GRADUATED FROM THE PROGRAM, and 24 NEW FAMILIES ENROLLED. OUR SOCIAL SERVICES UNIT PROVIDED CASE MANAGEMENT, ADVOCACY, AND REFERRALS FOR PARTICIPANTS SEEKING HELP NAVIGATING SYSTEMS AND ACCESSING RESOURCES. THE UNIT PROVIDED A TOTAL OF 1,322 CASE MANAGEMENT SESSIONS FOR 608 INDIVIDUALS. THE TOP THREE ISSUES (BY NUMBER OF VISITS) ADDRESSED IN FY25 WERE PUBLIC BENEFITS, CASH ASSISTANCE & ONE_SHOT DEALS, AND HEALTHCARE ENROLLMENT REFERRALS.
  3. $401,649 spent. THE YOUTH PROGRAMS UNIT OFFERS ENRICHMENT PROGRAMMING FOR YOUNG PEOPLE IN A SAFE, SUPPORTIVE ENVIRONMENT. IN FY25, MERCY CENTER PROVIDED 139 YOUNG PEOPLE WITH 17,933 OFF THE STREET ACTIVITY HOURS IN OUR AFTER SCHOOL, DANCE, SUMMER CAMP AND BABYSITTING PROGRAMS. WE CONTINUED OUR HIGHLY SUCCESSFUL STEM/ROBOTICS PROJECT AND INTRODUCD A READING ENRICHMENT PROJECT AS PART OF OUR AFTER SCHOOL AND SUMMER CAMP PROGRAMS. 100% OF THE CHILDREN IN OUR AFTER SCHOOL WERE PROMOTED TO THE NEXT GRADE IN JUNE 2025.
  4. $14,776 spent. DURING FY25, WE OPERATE OUR COMMUNITY EDUCATION WORKSHOPS PRIMARILY ONLINE, WHICH OFFERED GREATER SCHEDULING FLEXIBILITY AND RESULTED IN HIGHER ATTENDANCE. THE MOST POPULAR WORKSHOP WAS PREPARE TO WORK SECURITY GUARD TRAINING, WHICH WAS ATTENDED BY 90 PARTICIPANTS. WE ALSO CONTINUED OUR PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT AND COMMUNITY BUILDING ACTIVITIES, WITH THE THANKSGIVING FOOD PANTRY (340 FAMILIES) AND HOLIDAY GIFT GIVING (487 CHILDREN) HAVING THE HIGHEST PARTICIPATION. OUR ART WORKSHOPS WERE ALSO POPULAR, WITH 68 ADULTS AND CHILDREN PARTICIPATING.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Legitimacy checks

  1. Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.

    Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.

  2. Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.

    Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.

    Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 30, 2026.

  3. Are donations tax-deductible? Passed.

    On the IRS list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.

    Source: Publication 78 data: organizations eligible for tax-deductible contributions, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 10, 2026.

  4. Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.

    Most recent return on file covers the year ending June 2025.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.

  5. How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.

    Recognized by the IRS since April 1996.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.

  6. Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.

    Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.

    Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated October 7, 2026.

  7. Could it be confused with another charity? Worth knowing.

    A much larger organization has a similar name: Mercy Medical Center (Rockville Ctr, NY), EIN 11-1635088. If that is the one you meant, check the EIN before giving.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.

Ratings and checks are our reading of public records, using the published method. They are not a statement about anyone's honesty. If you work for this organization, you can send corrections or results, confirm you want gifts through Veridonate, or ask to be removed from giving.