Jackie wants to make a positive difference in the lives of Iowa kids. As a school counselor, she spends every day seeing how one positive relationship can make a big impact on the kids she serves. That’s why she decided to become a licensed foster and adoptive parent. “I wanted to be more involved with...
Two years ago, Kayla knew it was time for a change in her life. She had struggled with substance use for years and over time, she had lost custody of her two oldest children. When she was pregnant with her youngest son, Rafe, she was determined to build a brighter future for him. She decided...
Julie was friends with Jacob’s mom and years ago, she made a promise: If anything happened to her friend, Julie would take care of Jacob. When Jacob’s mom passed away and he had no place to go, Julie stepped up. Her six children had grown up and moved out of her home, and she had...
A lot of people need help in the world, and LSI is trying to do that.”
Across the state, the work LSI does to lift up and empower Iowa children, adults, and families is only possible thanks to the generous support of LSI donors and community partners. LeAllen Nevermann has made a life-changing impact for the Iowans we serve by donating to LSI for 33 years. “It’s our Christian obligation to...
When Makenzey found out she was pregnant in the spring of 2020, she felt nervous and overwhelmed at the thought of being a first-time mom. She didn’t know what to expect, but she wanted to create the best life for her child. “Being a new mom was really scary for me. I had no idea...
Over the last year, we have learned that we are stronger together. Our communities were resilient in the face of every hardship. And our human services workforce across the state never gave up, continuing to serve Iowans on the frontlines of the pandemic. The needs of Iowa children, adults, and families are now greater than...
What an honor it is to hold the hand of a child, being an adult they can trust and lean on, knowing your kindness and grace and love in the short time you have them may change the trajectory of their lives.”
Foster care is something Nikita had always been familiar with. Her dad was in foster care as a child, and she remembers how it affected him and his siblings growing up. Now, Nikita and her husband, Matthew, are providing a shoulder to lean on for Iowa children and teens in foster care. “I think we...
Martha and Marti first became foster parents in September of 2018. They were inspired to start when their biological children became interested. “They really wanted to look into foster care as a way to be able to help others as a family,” Martha says. “They brought it up to us in 2016 and at the...
