Francine

Francine* came to The Salvation Army Shelter for Women and Children right before Christmas of 2009. She had lost her job in May and her apartment in June and had been living with her daughter. From the first time we met, I (her case manager) knew she would succeed because she is so motivated. She had been constantly putting in job applications and going on interviews for two and a half months without getting anywhere. However, Francine never gave up! She stayed involved in Dress for Success’ Women’s Group and consistently worked out at the YMCA, both partnering agencies of The Salvation Army.

In February she found a job at a daycare supervising infant care. Francine found an apartment in March and moved into her own apartment with rental assistance from The Salvation Army. She was enrolled in our Continuing Support Program and had been doing great.

Now she is doing even better than before! She was contacted for a new job for customer service in the insurance industry. She works with the State of Indiana answering questions about the variety of health insurance plans and now is a great resource for me when my clients have questions. I am so proud of her and look forward to working with her in the future. Francine is truly a success story!

*Names have been changed to protect the confidentiality of the clients

Harriett* has been struggling with depression for most of her life. When she came to The Salvation Army four years ago, she had left a domestic violence situation with her husband and had overcome a drug addiction. However even though she was past the violence and the drugs, she still struggled with her mental health. During her first stay at The Salvation Army, Harriett rarely left her room and did not take any actions to improve her own life.

Harriett recently came back to the shelter for a second time, and she made great progress! She started to take control of her depression, and has been working on her independence and self confidence. She no longer stayed in her room, but made efforts to look for a part time job while applying for SSD and participating in the Shelter Plus Care program. Harriett also sees a counselor twice a month, which she would have never done before.

We am so proud of Harriett and the progress she has made. Even though she was nervous about moving out on her own, she knew that was the step in the right direction and that The Salvation Army was there still to support her. She has been clean for over 20 years and now has much better coping skills. She is part of our Continuing Support Program and continues to meet with her case manager once a week.

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

Preparing for the Real World

“The day I came to The Salvation Army Social Service Center I had no idea what kind of help they would offer me.  People that I had me at another shelter always talked about The Salvation Army.

When I entered the shelter I already had set goals for what I wanted to accomplish in my time there.  Little did I know there was much more in place for me.  I was so surprised how many programs they offered to fit a person’s needs; for example, Life Skills, Life Paths, Bible Study, etc.  My stay taught me a lot about myself, people, patience, and becoming a stronger person. 

They prepared me to get back into the real world and maintain and budget for my own household.  My case manager and the other staff members at The Salvation Army gave me a chance to give myself a second chance and I thank them all!  Once I have now left the shelter but am a part of the Continuing Support Program and I keep in regular contact with my case manager.

Thank you!”

A Testimony

For our success story this week an ex-client, “KR,” was kind enough to put her story down in her own words:

“The Salvation Army Social Service Center has been a blessing in every way.  My children and I relocated from Gary, Indiana last June.  I was broke and had no place to stay.  I was also leaving an abusive relationship and they provided us with a safe place to stay.  Not only did they assist us with shelter, they gave me guidance and resources to once again become self sufficient.  I resided in the shelter for two weeks.  Since leaving the shelter I have obtained a full time permanent job and have fully adjusted to life in Indianapolis.  The children have adjusted as well.  They recently even stated that they are happy about the move.  Thanks for everything!”