Catholic Charities to close Circle of Mercy
Released March 19, 2007

Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend, Inc., has announced that it will close its Circle of Mercy Day Care Center in South Bend as of June 30, 2007.

“We made the very difficult decision to close Circle of Mercy only after a thorough study of the many factors involved, including declining enrollment and monetary program support for the center,” says Catholic Charities Executive Director Debbie Schmidt. “In the end, we determined that our organization does not have the necessary financial resources needed to continue to provide the high level of care we've been offering at the center. We deeply regret having to make this announcement; Circle of Mercy has a long, rich history going back more than 90 years,” Schmidt adds.

Catholic Charities notified parents as quickly as possible of the closing and referred them to the Indiana Association for Child Care Resource and Referral. “We've already notified parents with the hope that they'll have ample time to find new sources of quality day care for their children,” Schmidt says. “And we also hope that members of the very capable Circle staff will be successful in locating new employment at other facilities in the area.”

Located at 120 South Taylor Street, Circle of Mercy has provided quality day care for children ages 2 through 6 from families with low or moderately low incomes. Fees have been determined on a case-by-case basis, taking into account a family's income and the number of family members. The center has also utilized the nutritious breakfast, lunch, and snack programs offered by the federal government for childcare facilities.

In recent years, Circle of Mercy has employed the progressive High/Scope curriculum designed for age-appropriate development and active learning. Because the center has gone beyond meeting health regulations to protect children and the environment, and in reaching out to families, Circle of Mercy received all five stars in the Indiana Department of Environmental Management's (IDEM) 5-Star Environmental Recognition Award program. The center is also accredited through the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC).

Circle of Mercy, the oldest licensed childcare facility in Indiana, was established by the women's service organization of the same name on January 16, 1916. The original location for the day-care center was a small home at 229 South Chapin Street. The center was moved to several other locations over the years before it was moved to its current Taylor Street location.

The childcare segment of the organization was sold to Catholic Charities for only $1 in 1995. In 2003, Circle of Mercy, the women's service group, donated several thousand dollars to the center for a new playground and other equipment and supplies.

Contact: Debbie Schmidt, (260) 422-5625, ext. 222

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