More Than Just Shelter

We recently recieved a phone call from a client, Michelle,* that we had served almost 5 years ago. Michelle came into the Social Service Center to speak with a case manager about a situation involving her son that she had been dealing with for the past year. Michelle’s oldest child, a 15 year old boy, had been in and out of juvenile and was becoming abusive. He had run away from home twice in the past two months and was not attending school. Her case manager at the SSC referred her to several programs in the community and also to parenting classes and domestic violence support group here at the shelter.

Michelle recently finished her Associate’s Degree at Ivy Tech College and has been employed with a medical office for the past six months. Her three other children are all well, attending school and participating in outside activities. She is receiving stead child support from the children’s father and states that she is doing okay.

*Names have been changed to protect the confidentiality of the client.

Success Story of the Week

At the Social Service Center we see the lives of our clients change every day.  We want to share with you some of the amazing stories we witness each week by posting the “Success Story of the Week.”  Enjoy!

 A hurricane evacuee, “CF” left New Orleans by helicopter after suffering multiple strokes and seizures and arrived in Indianapolis unable to walk, talk, read or write. Through the staff of at The Salvation Army Social Service Center, she has now regained all her motor skills, nearly doubled her weight from 77lbs to 135lbs, and most importantly holds a renewed sense of self worth as the self proclaimed “Salvation Army’s Next Top Model.”

“I would probably be dead now. I had no family, no friends. Only The Salvation Army would open their doors,” said CF.

After being aided by The Salvation Army for over two years, it is time for CF to go off on her own. Now enrolled in college, she hopes to have an impact on people that were once in need of help as she was.

“I’m exiting Friday, but I will be back to uplift the women in the domestic violence class and all my clothes will be recycled in the Sallie Shop.”