The stories we report here are actual client cases. They are the children, parents, couples and individuals we work with every day. For most, their names, photos and some details have been changed to protect their privacy. But some of our clients are strong advocates for the services they received, and tell their stories through video. All offer their stories so you can better understand how lives can be changed when someone in need asks for our help.
When Hannah* stepped onto her college campus for the first time, no one could tell just by looking at her that the burden she carried far exceeded the weight of her backpack. After years of keeping her traumatic past a secret, Hannah finally felt safe enough to seek help through therapy on her college campus. She shared that she had been repeatedly sexually molested by her father and he had also isolated her from her family.
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Jalisa escaped an abusive relationship and had been living with her two children in an unsuitable housing situation. She was put in touch with Heartland Family Service and staff assisted Jalisa in acquiring a safe place to live as a resident in our Heartland Homes residential housing program.
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Nearly four years ago, Jane was arrested for possession of a controlled substance and detained for nearly six months, all while she was pregnant. She also had a one-year-old child, who had been in the foster care system since birth. For Jane, everything felt like a battle from the start.
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As a child, Jim struggled with a number of health issues that many other kids his age did not experience. When he was seven, doctors diagnosed him with moderate intellectual disabilities and a seizure disorder. As a result, Jim struggled to make friends and always felt like an outcast. At 15, he wound up falling in with the wrong crowd, who introduced Jim to a life of crime and drugs, and his life quickly spiraled downward.
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