Organic Landscape Design

Mercy Housing News
From the Mercy Housing website
October 2000

N.I.C.E. Volunteers Help to Make a Difference for Mercy Housing Residents

Denver, CO - Residents at Decatur Place in Denver are getting a new picnic and play area on National Make a Difference
Day, thanks to the generosity of N.I.C.E. volunteers, members of The Network of Interfaith Compassionate Entrepreneurs.

The N.I.C.E. Corporation has raised nearly $20,000 in equipment and monetary donations to install a new playground,
sprinkler system, and landscape the property grounds, nicknamed "The Swamp". The playground at Decatur Place will
include play equipment, three picnic tables and three bar-b-cue grills to be used by 382 residents, of which 287 are children.

"Mercy Housing's mission is to create and strengthen healthy communities, and this is truly in the spirit of our mission," said
Cherie Kirschbaum, President of Mercy Housing SouthWest. "We are thrilled that local businesses and community members
have responded generously to make this a possibility on Make a Difference Day. The impact of this project on the lives of
the adults and children at Decatur Place has already had a positive, long term effect."

"We're designing this from the residents' desires and input," said Founder and Director of The N.I.C.E. Corporation, David
Ward, who organized the effort after seeing a flier about Decatur Place posted at a church in Arvada. "The idea is to build a
healthy community by building a playground."

Since the effort began, membership of the resident council has increased almost tenfold and up to fifty residents are expected
to join over sixty N.I.C.E. volunteers working on the project on Saturday October 28, 2000 from 7.30am.

The Annie Casey Foundation, and Ward Charitable Trust, both donated $5,000 to the project. Other donors include CoCal
Landscapes, Renewable Fiber, Designs by Sundown, Five Sons Roofing, and Equipment Rental.

Decatur Place is a transitional housing property in the Mercy Housing SouthWest (MHSW) portfolio. The average income of
residents at Decatur Place is $6,600. MHSW is headquartered in Denver, CO, with offices in Denver, CO and Phoenix, AZ.
MHSW is a member of the Mercy Housing System, a national not-for-profit affordable housing development and management
organization with over 10,000 units, serving more than 25,000 people on any given day. Mercy Housing System properties
serve economically poor families, senior citizens and people with mental and physical impairments, and was founded in 1981
by the Sisters of Mercy of Omaha.

The N.I.C.E. Corporation is not-for-profit and operates several programs, including Metro Massage for Multitudes, which
offers three massage programs for the poor to treat injuries, reduce trauma and promote relaxation; Storage of Spirit which
picks up, moves and stores evicted furniture with and for the newly homeless; and Youthful Enrichment Services for inner-city
youth recovering from trauma or drug use. For further information on The N.I.C.E. Corporation, contact 303-463-8458.