Our Founders

Teresa (Tee) Kennedy (Deceased)

Teresa (Tee) Kennedy graduated from Mount Saint Vincent College in 1956 with a degree in English and taught first grade in Bayport after her marriage to Larry Kennedy.  The first of her five children was born in 1958 and Mrs. Kennedy retired to devote herself to the rearing of her children.  Through the years, the Kennedy house became the place where teenagers would congregate and feel comfortable around the family table.  Her children remember that their mother accepted the teenage crowd for who they were without making judgments.  She understood them developmentally and enjoyed having them around.  In 1980, with four of five children out of the house, Mrs. Kennedy volunteered for Our Lady of Snow’s Parish Community Services doing what was needed, from food pantry to transportation and eventually casework.  During this time she began to see the troubles of teens in the community: abuse, pregnancy, homelessness.  Her passion to care for this group ignited.  Mrs. Kennedy joined forces with friend and mentor Sister Mary Waters, to address the problem of teen homelessness.  Mercy Center Ministries was the result of their efforts.  Mrs. Kennedy marshaled her strong business acumen and terrific organizational skills to contend with the first years of intensive planning and building support in the political and business community.  Her full time effort and focused pursuit for a better life for homeless teens resulted in the opening of the first Mercy Center Ministries home in 1983.  Homes for pregnant and parenting homeless teens followed in 1987 and 1989.  Mrs. Kennedy remained a board member until her death in 2001. 

Bio coming soon

Sister Mary Waters