In his home country of Somalia, Ali was thriving. He had more than 20 years of experience as a dental lab technician, and he loved every second of his work. His big, bright smile and warm personality made him the perfect fit for the job. But political instability and war created turmoil in the country....
As a child, Morgan had endured trauma no one should experience. Addiction, divorce, and difficult family relationships all surrounded Morgan in her childhood home and by the time she turned 18, she was living on her own. When she found out she was pregnant for the first time, Morgan was determined to never repeat the...
My name is Ruth, and I’m a Youth Associate at LSI’s Beloit Residential Treatment Center in Ames. Every day at Beloit, we work with kids who have often experienced extreme trauma. Our job is to help them overcome their pasts and build new skills that will lead to brighter futures. I see stories of hope...
“Our whole family leaves BHIS sessions with a positive attitude. It gives me some hope, and LSI gave us a direction and an idea of how to improve.”
When she became overwhelmed with family stress at home, Dianna didn’t know how to cope with her emotions. She began getting into fights with other kids at school and eventually found herself involved in juvenile courts. Her father, Pedro, was worried about her and wanted to find a way to help his child. When he...
It’s 7:30 a.m. on a Tuesday. Amanda is rounding up her three children – Brenna, 13, Reese, 11, and Kylee, 9 – so she can get them to school. She’s packing lunches and finding lost shoes and checking the day’s calendar. It’s a busy day, but a typical one – work, then an evening jam-packed...
Daniel and Karina sit on the floor of their living room with their son, David. Warm sunlight shines into their home as they play on a brightly colored mat, cheering David on as he builds a tower out of plastic blocks. It’s a picture-perfect afternoon for this family of three – stress-free, peaceful, and lighthearted....
When Harmony learned she was pregnant for the first time, she was excited, but apprehensive. “I’ve always wanted kids and I loved babysitting, but I didn’t really know anything about their development,” Harmony says. “I didn’t know where my kid would need to be when she was six months old.” Harmony’s mother, Lois, had heard...
Sharlie was always meant to become a U.S. Marine. She couldn’t wait to finish high school, begin her training, and proudly wear her uniform. But not everyone shared her vision, and some of her family members pressured her to pursue another career. Sharlie was between a rock and a hard place: chase after her dream...
