Stories of Hope

"I wanted a perfect ending. Now I’ve learned, the hard way, that some poems don’t rhyme, and some stories don’t have a clear beginning, middle, and end. Life is about not knowing, having to change, taking the moment and making the best of it, without knowing what’s going to happen next. Delicious Ambiguity."
—Gilda Radner

Below are stories of hope from clients who have generously agreed to share their journey and tell their story.  Volunteers of America of Indiana is proud to have been part of the story.

Resources for This Section

  • Tiffany Jones - An Awesome Reader
    Tiffany Jones shares how Words Travel, a national literacy and family strengthening program that strengthens the bonds between incarcerated parents and their children through reading, helped connect her to her child and improve her reading.
  • Jason Bradley's Story of Changing his Bank Robbing Lifestyle into that of a Law-Abiding Citizen
    Jason Bradley lives in Indianapolis. He is happily married to his beautiful wife Tina, has a great job and life is going very well for him. This new life, however, is a far cry from the old life he had in Buffalo, New York several years ago.
  • Emily Bonner - A Story of Determination
    Emily survived a childhood filled with emotion and physical violence. Life was hard for Emily. An addict...Emily is thankful to Volunteers of America."This was one of the best things that ever happened to me".
  • Wilma's Return to Self-Sufficiency
    Wilma Nicolay states, "I was 54 years old and I was sick and tired of my addiction, of being locked up and having no money and no place to go. When Volunteers of America offered me one-on-one and grief counseling, it was one of the best things that could have ever happened to me."
  • Barbara Samuels - A Tragic Loss
    Somewhere in the city of Indianapolis there are three teenage girls who have been fatherless for the last six years. A well-to-do woman shares her story of how a drunk driving conviction changed her life.
  • Frederick is Talking
    Frederick grew up having everything he needed, but somewhere along the way he lost his way. A need for drugs and money overpowered him and led him down a path of self-destruction, until a counselor at Volunteers of America was able to help him change his direction.
  • Tina Brient in the Homestretch
    Tina Brient walked in the door of Theodora House a hurt and angry woman. The Healing Families program was able to change her outlook. Tina is looking forward to the future and has no plans to go backwards...she's in the homestretch now!
  • Randy's Road to Forgiveness
    Mothers are supposed to protect and nurture their young...even animals do. Ths was not the experience of young Randy Wilson. Read one of the most amazing testimonies of forgiveness ever witnessed by even our most seasoned staff members.
  • A New Suit - A New Start
    Roosevelt Holliday arrived at Volunteers of America in prison garb...but a new suit and a new attitude gives him a fresh start.