“’For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future’.” – Jeremiah 29:11 Congratulations to Janola and Dave Fordyce for receiving the Waverly-Shell Rock Area United Way 2017 Outstanding Volunteer Award! Over the past 10...
Jamie Hoover has served as a Caseworker with LSI’s Services for People with Disabilities for 14 years. What has kept your passion for LSI alive for so many years? Knowing that I can make a difference just by being there has kept me within Services for People with Disabilities. I also love learning more about...
Barb and Harry Budd love to fill their home with Christmas decorations and invite their neighbors to tour the rooms filled with Santas of every shape and size. The hobby earned the Budds recognition in the community, but it also marked the beginning of another passion for the couple. When the Budds opened their home...
Seven years ago, Ashley was eager to welcome her first child, Landon. But a difficult pregnancy and several medical emergencies left her feeling worried and overwhelmed. “The first nine months of Landon’s life were a blur of sleepless nights, sweet baby giggles, and soaking up the joys of motherhood,” Ashley says. “But at nine months,...
You can be a role model when you don’t even realize it. You can change the cycle.
Sandra and Jerry Dollen became foster parents 28 years ago, because they knew it was the right thing to do. A child they knew needed help and a temporary place to call home, so the Dollens decided to become licensed foster parents to take her in. But the Dollens never anticipated the impact foster care...
We realized there are some big needs out there. We knew our family could make a difference.
Renato and Nellie Jimenez hadn’t planned to fall in love with foster parenting. The couple knew they wanted to adopt, but when they learned about the desperate need for foster families, they decided to also open their heart and home to children in need of safe, temporary care. “We realized there are some big needs...
You have to be a strong person to foster. But once you see one of the kids succeed, it’ll bring tears to your eyes, and it’s all worth it.
A simple act of kindness decades ago has gone on to change lives for Iowa youth in foster care. David Steele remembers the police officer he met after he ran away from home at age 13. The officer treated him kindly and made David feel like there was someone in his corner. That’s the same...
LSI has made a great impact for my family.
As everyone was preparing for the Christmas season, Ali was eager to finally give his family a gift he’d been dreaming of for almost a year: a second car. In 2014, Ali came to the U.S. as a refugee from Somalia. He dedicated his time to finding a job and building a better life for...
