Mothers are supposed to protect and nurture their young…even animals do. This was not the experience of young Randall Wilson. His case of abuse and abandonment was horrifying, even for Volunteers of America’s seasoned treatment counselor Claryce Burris who thought she had heard it all. “This is one of the most amazing testimonies of forgiveness I have ever witnessed,” said Claryce. “Randall is an outstanding young man.” Read More.
Scott, an honorably discharged veteran came to Volunteers of America’s Brandon Hall as a referral from the Homeless Outreach Team of the Veterans Administration. Scott was active in the United States Army from 1977-1980, was commissioned into the ROTC as a Transportation Officer from 1980-1984 and then signed up with the National Guard and deployed in the 1st Gulf War from 1984-1991. Scott also formerly owned and operated various food chains throughout the Indianapolis area; however his uphill battle to fight chronic alcoholism caused him to “lose it all”. Read More.
Thirty days ago Roosevelt Holliday arrived at Brandon Hall in DOC prison garb. He had been in prison for the past 10 months. This was Mr. Holliday’s second time in prison. At the age of 52, Mr. Holliday was in trouble for his use of drugs. “I’m too old to do something this silly”. “I went from being a success to a failure”. Now, Mr. Holliday wants his life to be different. He worked in a cleaner’s for a number of years as a Dry Cleaning Technician. He is proud of this skill and wants to return to it. However, he did not have clothing to interview in. Read More.
“I was a holy terror!” Tina described herself, smiling sheepishly as she sat across from me recounting her life as a child. “I would get into fights with other kids in the neighborhood. I became known as a bully and for not playing fair with the other children.” It was hard to imagine the soft spoken, full figured thirty-something year old woman, with the widest and warmest smile I had ever seen as a bully. Read More.
Frederick was born in the 1950’s, the middle child of Pentecostal parents. His father, a Native American Indian, worked as a chemist. He grew up having everything he needed. Frederick loved his family. He respected and admired his father who always took care of the family. One sad memory Frederick has was the day no one in his family showed up for his performance in a school play at Manuel High School. “I don’t know why they never showed up…it’s not like there was a snow storm or something. I went through so much trouble to get them a seat in the front row, but no one showed up.” Although Frederick is now forty nine years of age the disappointment could still be detected in his voice. Read More.