Misericordia Heart of Mercy

Name

Misericordia Heart of Mercy

Legal name

Misericordia Heart of Mercy

Website

https://misericordia.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1921

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

Misericordia Heart of Mercy is a Chicago-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1921 that provides residential, therapeutic, and social enterprise programs for more than 650 children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities across a 37-acre campus and Chicagoland CILA housing.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Disability Care Services

NAICS

Residential Intellectual and Developmental Disability Facilities (62321)

SIC

Services-Nursing & Personal Care Facilities (8050)

akta.pro primary industry

Specialized Assisted Living for Developmental/Intellectual Disabilities (Adult) (HLADABAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Down Syndrome & Intellectual/Developmental Disabilities (IDD) Childcare (HSAAAIAC), Special Needs Adult Day Programs (Developmental/Physical Disabilities, Seniors) (HLADAIAI)

Keywords

• Disability care services
• Residential care programs
• Social enterprise bakery
• Developmental disability support
• Nonprofit fundraising events

Headquarters

HQ city

Chicago

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations & Planned Gifts: Misericordia accepts online, mail, phone, and planned donations including IRA Qualified Charitable Distributions, charitable gift annuities, donor-advised fund contributions, and appreciated asset transfers. Endowments with naming opportunities provide long-term stable funding. The Sister Rosemary Connelly Society recognizes those who include Misericordia in their estate plans.
2. Corporate Sponsorships & Matching Gifts: Corporate sponsorships at major events provide visibility and community impact. Employee giving through payroll deductions and matching gift programs multiply individual contributions. Misericordia partners with over 250 foundations annually through grants supporting programs, therapies, art, employment, equipment, construction, and general operations.
3. Foundation Grants: Misericordia partners with more than 250 foundations each year. Grants are used for programs, therapies, art and employment opportunities, and general operations. Gifts may be unrestricted or directed to specific needs like equipment and construction.
4. Retail Operations (Bakeries, Shops, Restaurants): Hearts & Flour Bakery, Hearts & Flour Bakery & Café, Heartstrings Gift Shop, Sweetheart Shoppe, Greenhouse Inn Restaurant, and the Bakery Truck generate revenue through sales of baked goods, gift items, and dining. Every purchase supports residents with intellectual and developmental disabilities and creates meaningful employment.
5. Special Events & Fundraising: Major annual events include the Heart of Mercy Ball, Women's League Heart of Gold Benefit (raised nearly $14.5M over 30 years), Candy Days collections, Family Fest, First Look for Charity at the Chicago Auto Show, and the Red Heart Bash. These events generate significant fundraising revenue.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels8 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Misericordia Heart of Mercy provides a full continuum of care for more than 650 children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities, including residential placement on a 37-acre Chicago campus, Community Integrated Living Arrangement (CILA) homes off-campus, therapies, recreational programs, and volunteer/employment programs. The organization also operates social enterprises—Hearts & Flour Bakery, Hearts & Flour Bakery & Café, Bakery Truck, Heartstrings Gift Shop, Greenhouse Inn Restaurant, and Sweetheart Shoppe—that employ residents while generating revenue to support care operations.

Product overview

Misericordia Heart of Mercy is a nonprofit care organization providing a continuum of care for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Its product portfolio centers on social enterprises that create meaningful employment for residents while generating revenue: Hearts & Flour Bakery (handmade baked goods and gift boxes), Hearts & Flour Bakery & Café (full-service cafe with drive-thru), Hearts & Flour Bakery Truck (mobile bakery), Heartstrings Gift Shop, Greenhouse Inn Restaurant, and Sweet ❤️ Shoppe. Beyond these commercial ventures, the organization offers residential programs, therapy services, and volunteer/engagement opportunities including signature fundraising events like the Heart of Mercy Ball, Candy Days, and Family Fest.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Hearts & Flour Bakery: Handmade baked goods including cookies, brownies, breads, and gift boxes, with products created by adults with disabilities
• Hearts & Flour Bakery and Café
• Hearts & Flour Bakery Truck
• Heartstrings Gift Shop
• Greenhouse Inn Restaurant
• Sweet Shoppe
• Sister Rosemary Connelly Society
• Heart of Mercy Ball
• Heartracers Marathon Team
• Junior Board
• Women's Auxiliary
• Women's Board
• Women's League
• Misericordia Young Professionals Council (MYPC)
• Heart of Mercy in Action

Products and services

• Hearts & Flour Bakery Handmade baked goods including cookies, brownies, cakes, breads, and gift boxes (priced $3.50 to $200). Products are made by residents with intellectual and developmental disabilities, providing meaningful employment and skill-building opportunities. Available online, at retail locations, and through the mobile bakery truck.
• Hearts & Flour Bakery & Café Bakery and café located at 6130 N. Ravenswood Ave, Chicago, offering freshly baked pastries, sandwiches, paninis, salads, and specialty coffee (proudly serving Colectivo Coffee). Open with both dine-in and drive-thru options Monday–Saturday and Sunday. Provides meaningful employment for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
• Hearts & Flour Bakery Truck Mobile bakery bringing fresh-baked goods (cookies, cupcakes, coffee) to farmers markets, corporate campuses, sporting events, and community gatherings throughout Chicagoland. Available for corporate lunches, festivals, and community events.
• Heartstrings Gift Shop Gift shop located at 6300 N Ridge on the Misericordia campus offering handmade crafts and Misericordia-branded merchandise including apparel, ornaments, and unique gifts many of which are made by Misericordia residents. Open Tuesday–Friday and Saturday.
• Greenhouse Inn Restaurant Restaurant on Misericordia's campus offering a salad bar, hot buffet, grilled sandwiches, housemade desserts, lox and fresh fruit, and crafted cocktails for Sunday brunch service. Staffed by residents alongside volunteers, providing hospitality work experience.
• Sweetheart Shoppe Retail location in Glenview, IL at 989 Waukegan Road offering freshly baked treats (sweetbreads, brownies, cookies, coffee cakes, custom specialty cakes), Misericordia-branded apparel, unique giftware, hostess gifts, children's items, and seasonal treasures. Open Monday–Friday.
• Memorial and Special Occasion Cards Free commemorative cards available for memorials, birthdays, get well wishes, anniversaries, holidays, and special occasions. Each card includes a donation envelope to support the organization, enabling donors to honor loved ones while contributing to Misericordia's mission.
• Residential Programs Full continuum of residential care on a 37-acre Chicago campus with nine Heart of Mercy Village houses (each home to 12 adults), the Mother Catherine McAuley Residence for medically complex residents, Quinlan Terrace (four homes for aging residents), Sister Rosemary Connelly Park (16 new homes opened 2025 housing 120 additional residents), and Community Integrated Living Arrangement (CILA) homes throughout Chicagoland.
• Therapy and Health Services Health and wellness programs including physical therapy, speech therapy, aquatic fitness at the Moore Aquatic Fitness Center, dental care at the Thomas & Vita Donovan Dental Clinic, recreational activities, and spiritual support designed to support resident wellbeing and maximize independence.

Quantifiable outcome

• Supports over 650 children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered flagship and minor.

• Paramount Lodging AdvisorsflagshipGTM or Marketing Partner · 9 March 2026Paramount Lodging Advisors launched Paramount Cares, a corporate giving program supporting charitable initiatives in the hospitality industry. Misericordia Heart of Mercy was named the inaugural charity partner. As its first initiative, the firm donated premium Wrigley Field tickets to raise funds for Misericordia, building on a prior donation that generated $10,000 at the organization's 2026 Chicago Auto Show fundraiser. The partnership features three pillars including an annual national nonprofit partnership.
• Paramount Capital AdvisorsflagshipGTM or Marketing Partner · 9 March 2026Paramount Capital Advisors co-launched Paramount Cares with Paramount Lodging Advisors as a corporate giving program in the hospitality, real estate, and finance industries. Misericordia was named the inaugural charity partner. The first initiative donated premium Wrigley Field tickets to raise funds for Misericordia, following a prior donation that generated $10,000 at the 2026 Chicago Auto Show fundraiser.
• Colectivo CoffeeminorOthersColectivo Coffee is the featured coffee brand served at the Hearts & Flour Bakery and Café. The café proudly serves Colectivo Coffee as part of its beverage offerings.

Scale indicators13 records

Recent moves15 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Clearbrook: Illinois-based nonprofit providing residential, day, and employment services for children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities across the Chicago suburbs; directly comparable CILA-style residential programs and social enterprises make it the closest geographic peer.
• Association for Individual Development (AID): Aurora, Illinois–based nonprofit providing residential, developmental training, and behavioral health services to individuals with IDD and mental health needs; comparable regional Illinois continuum-of-care nonprofit model.
• Opportunity Enterprises: Indiana-based nonprofit operating residential, day, and employment services for people with IDD, including vocational social enterprises; comparable operational mix of residential IDD care plus business-led employment programs.
• L'Arche Chicago: Chicago-area L'Arche community offering residential homes and day programs for adults with intellectual disabilities, sharing Misericordia's model of long-term residential community living alongside paid and volunteer caregivers.
• Penn-Mar Human Services: Pennsylvania/Maryland-based nonprofit providing residential, day, and employment services for adults with intellectual disabilities; directly comparable continuum-of-care service model with social-enterprise employment components.
• Jewish Child & Family Services: Chicago-based human services nonprofit serving people with disabilities along with other vulnerable populations; shares Misericordia's Chicago footprint, CILA-equivalent residential programming, and dual donation/Medicaid revenue model.
• Ray Graham Association for People with Disabilities: DuPage County–based nonprofit providing residential, day program, and supported employment services for adults with IDD in Chicagoland; comparable mission, funding model (donations + Medicaid), and continuum-of-care service array.

Broad incumbents

• Easterseals: Large national nonprofit operating disability and related services across many U.S. affiliates; less residential/campus centric than Misericordia but a comparable scale disability-services nonprofit operating in the same funding and regulatory landscape.
• The Arc of the United States: National advocacy and service organization for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities; broader, federation-based scope covering policy and direct services across many affiliates, but overlapping mission and IDD service delivery.
• AHRC New York City: New York-based nonprofit providing residential, day, clinical, and employment services for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities at large scale; comparable large-organization IDD operating model in another major metro.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/misericordiaheartofmercy
• Instagraminstagram.com/misericordia.auxiliary?igsh=ZXF0d3U3bHVqN2ph
• Xx.com/heartofmercy
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/misericordia-heart-of-mercy

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles32 records

Subsidiaries6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Misericordia Heart of Mercy