Mercy Center
City-funded organization
Mercy Center is a nonprofit founded in 1990 in the Mott Haven section of the South Bronx, offering free ESOL classes, adult literacy and HSE/GED preparation, workforce development, immigration services, and family support programs. Its NYC contracts are concentrated at the Department of Youth and Community Development, funding literacy, ESOL, and civic education programming, with an additional Department of Social Services contract for child care outreach, and it has received City Council discretionary funding for its Adult Literacy Initiative every year since FY2009. Overall, 81% of the contract value Mercy Center has won is recorded as awarded without a fresh competitive bid. Its executive director, Stephen J. Stritch III, was paid $192,549 in FY2023 according to the organization's IRS Form 990.
- Industry (per city contracts)
- Human Services
- City contracts (active)
- $9,469,861 · 6 contracts
- Awarded all-time
- $23,201,129 · 56 since 2008, incl. expired
- Paid to date
- $17,398,904
- Won without a fresh bid
- 81% of contract value · $18,873,373 · 47 contracts
- Discretionary funding (FY2009-FY2027)
- $4,781,187 · 32 awards
- Funding history
- Funded every year since FY2009 (19 years running)
- Top officer pay (FY2023)
- $192,549 · Stephen J Stritch III, Executive Director.
Holds contracts at
- Department of Social Services City agency
- Department of Youth and Community Development City agency
City contracts
Registered city contracts, largest first by current contract value (not amount spent): running now, then registered to start later, then ended. Totals count every registered contract. Each line shows its Checkbook contract ID. The tag on each row is how it was awarded (“no-bid” = non-competitive).
- To support basic Literacy,ESOL as well as civic education cl Department of Youth and Community Development · CT126020258806500 $5,077,676
- Literacy Programs- ABE/HSE: BX102, BX101 Department of Youth and Community Development · CT126020258802142 $1,447,150
- FY 26 Allowance and COLA for Child Care Outreach Department of Social Services · CT106920258804473 $1,103,266
- Literacy Programs- ESOL/BENL BX0101 Department of Youth and Community Development · CT126020258802348 $1,035,150
- NDA Renewal FY26 Department of Youth and Community Development · CT126020268800463 $404,689
- NDA Renewal FY26 Department of Youth and Community Development · CT126020268800466 $401,930
- Adult Literacy Initiative Department of Youth and Community Development · CT126020180000424 · ended 2021 $3,454,377
- Adult Literacy Negotiated Acquisition Extension Department of Youth and Community Development · CT126020228800814 · ended 2023 $2,512,566
- To provide literacy education services for Adults Department of Youth and Community Development · CT126020240002164 · ended 2024 $1,558,668
- Adult Literacy Initiative Department of Youth and Community Development · CT126020151425111 · ended 2017 $711,711
Discretionary funding received
City Council discretionary (member-item) awards, largest first. Covers FY2009-FY2027.
- Adult Literacy Initiative Adult Literacy Initiative · DYCD · FY2025 $1,354,047
- Adult Literacy Initiative Adult Literacy Initiative · DYCD · FY2026 $1,354,047
- NYC RISE with Adult Literacy Forward (Formerly Adult Literacy Initiative and Adult Literacy Forward) NYC RISE with Adult Literacy Forward (Formerly Adult Literacy Initiative and Adult Literacy Forward) · DYCD · FY2027 $1,354,047
- Adult Literacy Services PEG Restoration Adult Literacy Services PEG Restoration · DYCD · FY2012 $100,000
- Adult Literacy Services PEG Restoration Adult Literacy Services PEG Restoration · DYCD · FY2013 $100,000
- Adult Literacy Services PEG Restoration Adult Literacy Services PEG Restoration · DYCD · FY2014 $100,000
- Adult Literacy Adult Literacy · DYCD · FY2009 $30,952
- Adult Literacy Adult Literacy · DYCD · FY2010 $30,952
- Adult Literacy Adult Literacy · DYCD · FY2011 $30,952
- Adult Literacy Services Initiative Adult Literacy Services Initiative · DYCD · FY2012 $30,000
- Adult Literacy Council Initiative Adult Literacy Council Initiative · DYCD · FY2013 $30,000
- Adult Literacy Services Initiative Adult Literacy Services Initiative · DYCD · FY2014 $30,000
- Local DYCD · FY2012 $20,000
- Local DYCD · FY2013 $20,000
- Local DYCD · FY2014 $20,000
- Adult Literacy Initiative Adult Literacy Initiative · DYCD · FY2015 $20,000
- Local DYCD · FY2016 $12,500
- Anti-Poverty Anti-Poverty · Dss/hra · FY2017 $12,500
- Social Services/Community Education Anti-Poverty · Dss/hra · FY2018 $12,500
- Local DYCD · FY2015 $10,000
Funded by these council members
City Council members who steered discretionary (member-item) money to this organization, largest first (FY2020 and later, where the sponsoring member is disclosed). Sitting members link to their page.
- Ayala FY2020-2025 · 6 awards $60,000
- Elsie Encarnación FY2026-2027 · 2 awards $20,000
Officer & key-staff pay
Reportable compensation from this organization's IRS Form 990 (Part VII), latest available filing (FY2023). Includes pay from related organizations where reported; an annual figure, not a running total. Source: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer.
- Stephen J Stritch III Executive Director. $192,549
- Paula M Sarro Associate Ex Director $132,278
- Linda Simmons Director. of Finance $122,754
- Judit Criado Fiuza Director $116,212
Officer pay over time
Total officer pay changed +46% from FY2020 to FY2023. Top-officer reportable compensation by year (org-paid only), with each year's share of total revenue. Source: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer 990 filings.
- FY2020 Stephen J Stritch III · 11.26% of revenue $159,238
- FY2021 Stephen J Stritch III · 9.95% of revenue $161,722
- FY2022 Stephen J Stritch III · 10.91% of revenue $212,616
- FY2023 Stephen J Stritch III · 13.58% of revenue $192,549